A Hero in Bloom
by angelfan5589
Summary: Collection of one shots and multi-chapter fics featuring Marvel and DC characters paired with Sakura. Ratings and lengths will fluctuate but will be longer than drabbles/ficlets.
1. Avengers-Sakura: My Way as a Ninja

**Avengers-Sakura - Shinobi Themes Challenge #1: My way as a ninja**

 **I love the MCU and DC comics (not the movies except Wonder Woman) and I love Sakura + non-cannon pairings and I thought, let's mash 'em together with the 50 shinobi theme challenge!**

 **Hope you enjoy, please let me know if there are any pairings you want to see. I have a few mapped out but suggestions are always welcome.**

* * *

Sakura heard the screams before she noticed anything wrong. Looking up from her sandwich, her eyes darted around for the threat but didn't see anything out of the ordinary in the cafe. A few other patrons were also perking up in their seats as conversations turned silent.

As most of the commotion was coming outside, she left her half eaten lunch, grabbed her backpack, and followed some of the others to the street.

There was chaos everywhere, people running, cars crashing, and humanoid creatures flying around. From the past few months she'd been stranded in this weird universe, there had been nothing to suggest this was normal.

People bumped into her as Sakura walked towards the blue light emanating from one of the buildings.

 _Stark Tower_. Iron Man.

The creatures started firing and more screams erupted as everyone in the streets scrambled to find cover.

The injuries and casualties could already be in the hundreds.

The medic in her demanded she help in any way she could. The more rational side of her told her to lay low. Sakura couldn't afford to be exposed when she didn't know this world and what they would do to her. She was even wearing shorts and a red tee in an effort to fit in.

Based on what she had seen so far, no one used chakra. They were all civilians to her.

 _More reason to help._

Her team would come for her, she knew it and this place felt real. She knew it wasn't some figment of her imagination. The damage these creatures could do would be real.

There were explosions in the sky as Iron Man flew up, attempting to reduce the number of the aliens who came through the portal but he couldn't take the invaders _and_ protect civilians.

Sakura began sprinting towards Stark Tower, knowing that the people in the area would be the most unsafe and in need of assistance.

"Get away!" She yelled to those frozen in the street, watching the danger come towards them. Very few paid any attention to her above the chaos.

When one of the creatures dropped down in front of cars stopped in the street, Sakura forced chakra to her feet and leapt over the terrified bystanders.

"Shannaro!"

Sakura felt the metal plate on its chest crumple under her fist as people screamed in alarm.

"Get out of here!" Sakura yelled again. Listening to her now, the civilians scrambled away, abandoning their vehicles and their belongings.

Dust and smoke permeated the air as the creatures shot beams of light at buildings and cars, causing as much destruction as they could.

Sakura damned the fact she wasn't dressed for this. Her hand tightened on the pack carelessly slung over her shoulder and she ran into the closest building. Sakura pushed past people fleeing the lobby and found an empty room. There was a building alarm going off, drowning out most of the sounds from outside.

Taking out a scroll, she summoned her belongings and weapons and changed quickly, foregoing her forehead protector. Sakura drew her gloves on and tightened her hands into a fist.

The building seemed to shake and the ground trembled as more screams and panic ensued. Taking a deep, fortifying breath, Sakura walked outside and discarded her pack before rushing towards Stark tower.

People barely noticed her in their haste and car sirens blared continuously.

The streets were emptying.

 _Good._

Those who were fleeing past her were covered in dirt, debris, and minor injuries but were otherwise fine. As she got closer to Stark Tower, the number of people running away decreased which hopefully meant they had been able to get away. But there were probably more people hiding in the buildings, too scared to run.

There was a metallic groan as a plane fell from the sky. At the sound of a deafening roar, Sakura's eyes darted to the portal and watched as something else came through. It was massive, easily as large as Katsuyu, maybe even larger.

And there was more than one.

A blast rang out and Sakura was forced to summersault backwards to avoid injury. She darted forwards, throwing shrunken at the alien. The blades ricocheted off its breastplate. Luckily, it didn't seem that adept at hand to hand and Sakura easily brought it down with a single punch, knocking it into the side of a building ten feet away.

If she wanted to summon Katsuyu and heal those with injuries, she had to get closer to the epicenter.

Sakura took down as many as she could as she fought her way forward and she noticed others in the air and on the ground capable enough to fight.

Hearing a cry coming from an overturned car, Sakura crouched down and saw two passengers pinned down by the crumpled dashboard.

"Hold on." She ripped one of the doors off and slowly lifted the vehicle for the two to crawl out. They supported each other to stand and one leaned heavily on his. friend.

"Can you run?" One of them nodded while the other shook his head and pointed to his leg.

Sakura wasn't close enough to summon Katsuyu yet but she couldn't just leave them to limp away. They would be sitting ducks. She took a step forward and cautiously brought a green glow to her hand. Sensing their apprehension, Sakura reassured them she wasn't going to hurt them.

The man released a breath when her hand touched his injury, providing some pain relief. Thankfully the bone had only cracked and wouldn't require much time to heal.

"Thank you."

Sakura smiled.

"Get to safety."

* * *

"Cap," Clint called a bit hesitantly. "You're not going to believe this."

"What is it Barton?" His voice was strained with effort as Steve fought off three of the chitauri and caught his shield as it bounced off the hood of a car.

"There's a giant slug with a woman standing on it. A woman with pink hair."

"I see her." Tony informed as he flew past and watched her take out an alien with her bare hands. "She's not on Loki's side. Anyone know where she came from?"

There were a series of negatives from the other members of the team.

"Ugh. Gross. The slug just broke up into more slugs." Tony cried as he contemplated shooting them.

They were surprisingly fast, crawling into buildings and down the street.

"Hey! What are these and who are you?" Tony asked as he hovered above her in case one of the slugs attached itself to him.

Her green eyes and pink hair were shocking enough but the lines that ran down her face and onto her arms rendered him almost speechless. He held up his repulsor, ready to shoot if she did anything shifty.

"My name is Haruno Sakura, I'm here to help." That wasn't much to go off of but it was enough for Tony to de-power his arm.

"And the pests?" He asked, gesturing to the side with a tilt of his head.

"Lady Katsuyu will be able to heal those with injuries. Please do _not_ shoot her." Her tone was clinical and the warning was very clear.

Clint, listening in on the conversation through Tony's mic was skeptical at best but when one crawled on Nat, he was torn between shooting it with an arrow and risk the projectile going through the animal to clip Nat or leave it be.

"Please do not worry." A feminine voice that definitely wasn't Nat's rang through the coms.

"Was that-?"

"They're polite slugs." Natasha remarked as her panting ceased and the cut on her forehead closed. "I think she's legit. My wounds are healing and I'm not as winded."

The smirk 'Sakura' sent Tony was enough to have him narrow his eyes at her though she wouldn't be able to see it. He lowered his arm, willing to take any help they could get.

"We'll talk about this after this battle." The girl nodded then jumped a good forty feet into the air and felled one of the Chitauri worms with a drop kick. There was a crash then a prolonged silence as Tony tried to calculate just how her small body could handle such massive power.

 _Okay_.

This really wasn't the time for this, but Tony had to ask. Because they were fighting a war together and he wanted to know if she could be trusted not to stab them in the back. "Why are you helping us?" He asked as soon as she landed a bit ungracefully on the street.

"Because, there are people who are injured and helping them is my way as a ninja."

"Did she just say ninja?" Clint's incredulous voice would have been funny if the girl in front of him wasn't deadly serious.

Super solider, couple of master assassins, the god of thunder, a Hulk, Iron Man, and a ninja against an army of aliens and the god of thunder's adopted brother.

 _Cool._

* * *

 **Let me know what you think! The next ones will be relationship oriented with Sakura and people from Marvel and DC.**


	2. ClarkSakura: Leap of Faith Pt1

**Clark/Sakura - Shinobi Themes Challenge #29: Leap of Faith**

 **This was a story that I started to write and then realized I didn't have the time to turn it into a full story. Because I had written so much of it already, this will be a three-parter as I write the rest.**

 **Other chapters will not be this long...(probably)**

 **Thank you for your reviews/follows/favorites!**

 **Guest: I hadn't planned on Red Hood but I think I have a theme that might be fun for him.**

* * *

Everyone viewed the mark of the soul as a blessing from the gods. Every Shinobi nation knew that if you were a worthy warrior, you received the mark. It was a blessing none took lightly. As fighters they had a shorter life expectancy than most and the soul mark was a way of finding someone who was your best match.

The mark could be anything, from a clan symbol which was mostly reserved for the heirs, or a word that completely encapsulated a person. The location of the mark also varied wildly. It too was a hint.

The easiest one had been Gaara and his soul mate. No one could argue that the red mark on the girl's forehead was meant for anyone other than the Kazekage.

Every person had a different and varied mark that they usually had hidden. It would be a clue for any enemy. It wasn't a hardship to keep hers hidden but Sakura had quickly realized she would never find her soul mate in this lifetime.

She was nearing 25 years of age and had yet to encounter the odd symbol that decorated her skin. At times, Sakura thought it was the gods mocking her. The outer portion was in the shape of a diamond different from the one that adorned her forehead. It had a flat top and a curved line or a 'S' inside of it. For 10 years, Sakura travelled to different villages hoping that it would come to mean something. Not only had she never encountered it, not even Kakashi or Tsunade knew what it meant.

Sakura was resigned to be alone, forever searching for someone who could give meaning to the symbol between the valley of her breasts.

That was until she was thrown into a vortex.

Sakura landed hard on her back and was dazed for a few seconds until the bight sunlight pierced through her lids and forced her to get up.

"Naruto?" Opening her green eyes, Sakura saw buildings taller than any she'd ever seen before.

"Sasuke?" Alarmed, Sakura ran to the edge of the roof she was on and looked down at the people and moving metal objects below. "Kai!" Her yell attracted no attention.

Breathing heavily, Sakura tried to remember the last thing that had happened. Growing dizzy, she gripped the edge of the railing. Her knuckles turned white as she continued panicking. "I don't know where I am." She said to herself, taking in huge gulps of air. Sakura and her team had been fighting someone and she had knocked Naruto out of the way when a swirling energy hit her head on. The last thing she remembered was Naruto calling for her.

Sakura collapsed to her knees, still vaguely gripping the railing. She stayed in that position for lengthy minutes, wondering how she was going to get back home.

If she even could get back home.

The sound of a shrill alarm brought her out of her thoughts. When she ran to the opposite side of the roof she was on and looked down she saw people rushing out from the building.

Another sound drew her attention as blue and red lights began careening towards them. Curious but wary, Sakura placed a chameleon jutsu over herself and scaled the side of the building downwards.

When she peered inside, she saw a very large man walking out with huge bags slung over his shoulder. But what drew her attention the most was her mark emblazoned on his broad chest. He was pale with an almost pasty white complexion which stood in direct contrast to his black hair and blue attire.

Sakura had been so shocked, she stood frozen as he approached her and her jutsu fell away, revealing her location.

Before she could work her mind around the fact that the symbol differed slightly from her soul mark, the red and blue lights stopped somewhere behind her and she could dart out of the way, the man caught her with one arm. Sakura struggled immediately and had even used some chakra but couldn't get out of his iron grip around her waist. The brute was insanely strong.

Behind her, Sakura heard someone yell, "Bizarro has a hostage! Set up a perimeter!"

Her pink hair whipped from side to side as she continued struggling but the man barely budged.

"Bizarro leave or he kill girl."

"The hell you will." Sakura struck him with a chakra empowered fist across the face. He stumbled but released her, all but throwing her to the side carelessly. She fell on her side and her head made a sickening sound when it hit the marble floor tiles. Before she could do anything else, a hand gripped her neck and she was lifted into the air. Sakura's head lolled to the side, still concussed from the blow.

The hand around her neck was firm but she could still breathe. He shifted her until she too was slung over his shoulder. The next thing she knew, they were in the air. Sakura barely had time to even contemplate the idea of flying as they stopped in mid air a few miles away from where she'd been taken.

"Bizarro. Let her go." The voice was authoritative and strong, clearing up some of the fuzziness in her head.

"Girl punch Bizarro." He slid her down his chest, gripping her tighter to him as a shield or to better protect her from the other person, she didn't know.

Sakura sent healing chakra to her head, grateful she hadn't lost consciousness.

Her hands were hanging limply but they were free. This may be a world she didn't understand with people who could apparently fly but Sakura was a kunoichi. Noticing that they were hovering much higher than she initially thought, Sakura knew she couldn't go free falling to the ground. She'd never been so far up, people looked like dots and only the tallest buildings in the area came close to where they were. Biding her time and healing her head, she tried to think of a way out. She could only survive the fall with her fuinjutsu but that could only be used as a last resort.

Based on how easily the man holding her captive shook off a punch that should have decimated his face, Sakura had little hopes for fighting her way out of this.

With her head cradled against Bizarro's chest, Sakura couldn't see the man in front of them but could only assume he too was flying. In the next second, a sound came from behind Bizarro and she heard him yell angrily. The sound of paper fluttering could also be heard and when Sakura peered down, she saw green slips of paper scattering everywhere. They looked like ryo and she deduced it was some sort of currency.

"Bizarro kill Superman." In his anger, Bizarro released her suddenly. A surprised scream caught in her throat but Sakura refused to let it out. Wind whipped through her as she began plummeting to the ground.

Turning in the air so she could better see the ground, Sakura released her seal, hoping it would be enough to save her.

At one point, she'd thought the other man had reached for her but a blue light hit him in the back. Seconds away from hitting the ground, a green light surrounded her, halting her descent. She floated harmlessly in the air and Sakura let out a breath of relief. The light took her to another man, one who was clad in green and black. A dark green mask hid his eyes and cheeks.

The light seemed to be coming from his hand and Sakura briefly wondered if this was a form of chakra though it didn't feel like any chakra signature she'd felt before.

"Don't worry, miss. I've got you." He said, reassuringly as he took her in his arms. The light faded from her but it was still haloing his form. Not in any more immediate danger, Sakura recalled the chakra to her seal and the marks disappeared from her face. The man holding her grew alarmed and the good natured smile disappeared from his face.

"Who are you?" He gave her an odd look but answered her nonetheless.

"I'm Green Lantern," he replied as though that answered her question. "Are you alright…?" He trailed off, obviously asking for her name.

"I'm fine." The sound of a fight reached her. Instinctively looking up, Sakura saw Bizarro and another man. From her vantage point, she couldn't see much but knew they were in similar clothes and were closely matched. "Shouldn't you help?"

"Superman has it. Besides, helping would require I let a beautiful woman out of my arms." She looked at him incredulously.

"I'd like to be let go." She replied.

"At least let us perform a medical check up. You hit the ground pretty hard back there and Bizarro isn't known for being gentle." Something about his tone of voice raised a red flag. To let them give her a check up would mean to be a prisoner. She wasn't about to let that happen.

"I'm completely fine. I didn't hit the ground as hard as it looked." Her reply only seemed to make things worse. She was being too flippant about this. She had to retreat. As they were now only a few feet from the ground, Sakura felt capable of letting herself out of the situation.

She sent an electrical current through him, causing him to cry out in surprise and jerk away from her, letting her go. Tumbling to the ground, Sakura ran off in the first direction she saw. Sprinting hard, she dodged people and large objects that got in her way. When she felt she was far enough away, she made a small henge. Changing the color of her hair and her clothes, Sakura blended in with the people in this world.

Nothing she had seen so far felt like chakra so she hoped that meant this world didn't know about it.

Her heart hammering away, Sakura breathed a small sigh of relief and made her way into the crowd. Not knowing where she was going and with no money, Sakura was at a loss for what she should do.

She had no friends, no one to turn to, and she was starving.

Eventually it was dusk and she felt safe enough to dispel the henge to save some energy. A few hours later, she found herself at a park. The trees and grass offered some comfort to her and it also gave her a place to rest. The open space also prevented any surprises.

Like when a man in black tried to sneak up on her.

He had blended in seamlessly with the shadows but he couldn't sneak up on a shinobi. Sakura had sensed his presence an hour earlier but since he didn't attack, she hadn't responded.

He didn't seem surprised to have been caught which made her suspicious. "Who are you? Why were you watching me?"

His voice was deep and gravelly. "Who are you?"

She frowned, getting into a defensive position. "I asked first."

A rustle of fabric and they were fighting hand to hand. She could tell immediately that the man was skilled and fast for one so bulky.

But she could be faster.

And hit harder.

However, she didn't want to seriously injure the man when he wasn't fighting her with killing intent. They were both sizing each other up.

Sakura tried not to use up the rest of her chakra, especially as tired and hungry as she was but if she wanted the fight to end quickly, she had to do something. With just her brute strength, Sakura struck the ground, causing fissures and cracks. With a small smoke bomb, she disappeared. But before she could get far, Sakura set off a trap and a mist surrounded her at the exit of the park.

Her last thought before she lost consciousness was of her team.

* * *

Batman, Superman, and Green Lantern looked at the young woman currently unconscious in the medical bay. She was heavily sedated while J'onn looked her over. Though they left her clothes on, Superman had used his x-ray vision to account for any weapons.

"Anyone know who she is or where she came from?" Lantern asked, watching as J'onn took a scan of her head for any injuries. "I've seen the footage from the bank at least two dozen times. She should have a severe concussion. Not to mention the fact she didn't shatter her hand punching Bizarro in the face."

"She demolished the park with a single punch. I think it's safe to assume she's some sort of metahuman." Batman remarked.

"What's odd is that she doesn't know about any of us. In a city this big, a girl that young, how can't she know about the Justice League?" Lantern chimed in again. The other two men nodded in agreement. She was an oddity. "Plus the freaky ink that was on her face."

"What?"

"When I caught her with my ring, she had these black lines from her forehead down her cheeks but they seemed to go back into the tattoo on her forehead." Lantern answered.

"There's no telling what her abilities are. Once J'onn is done, we should move her to an interrogation room."

"She's scared. That might not be the best way to get her talking." Superman finally spoke up.

"It's standard procedure with metahumans." Batman replied, scowling.

"You mentioned that she didn't know about us. How can she trust us if we treat her like a criminal? She's the victim in this."

"Supes is right. When I suggested she get a check up, she didn't seem too keen on the idea. If we treat her like a prisoner, I don't think we'll get anything from her."

Batman all but growled. "Fine. Let her wake up in the medical bay but remove all the sharp objects."

Deciding that Superman was the best one to have her wake up to, he entered the room when J'onn was done. He was most likely invulnerable to anything she could dish out. His lack of a mask could also give her a friendly face to relate to.

He took the time to study her, unimpeded by the glass. Her pink hair went to the root but he could smell no chemicals or dye present which meant that somehow it was natural. Her hair reached a few inches beyond her shoulder, shorter than what Diana preferred but longer than Lois'.

Physically, she was beautiful.

The woman in front of him seemed dainty but she was toned. With his superior eyesight he saw that she'd received injuries that had healed remarkably well. Which meant that she either had advanced healing or they had been inflicted when she had been a child. Clark didn't know how to feel about the possibility of the latter.

She didn't look any older than 20 and the odd diamond shaped mark on her forehead drew his attention. He wondered if that was her soul mark or if it had something to do with her powers.

If Green Lantern hadn't answered the call with him to Fawcett City, she would be dead. Superman had tried valiantly to get to her as soon as Bizarro had released her but had been unable to do so. When he saw that Hal had been momentarily incapacitated and the woman had disappeared, Bizarro escaped.

Thankfully, Hal had been able to gather all the money Bizarro had stolen with the power of his ring and they returned it to the bank.

Sooner than she should have, the woman began waking. Her heart rate picked up just slightly and her eyes flickered beneath her lids.

* * *

Sakura felt the artificial light and smelled the distinct scent of a hospital, rubbing alcohol and antiseptics. Groaning softly, she began waking, feeling tired and still hungry. "N-naruto?" Her voice cracked and her throat was dry. "Pass me some water." She opened her eyes and immediately closed them to hide from the bright light.

Turning to her right, she tried again and took in the surrounding area. She tensed, not recognizing the machines or the room.

Sensing another person in the room with her, she turned to the other side and scooted back as far as the bed would allow.

What struck her first was his blue eyes, so similar to Naruto's. They were clear and open, holding an earnestness that reminded her of her friend.

He was attractive, almost painfully so. Wordlessly, he held a cup out for her and she slowly calmed down. If they had wanted to kill her, they could have, she reasoned.

Sakura took the cup from him warily, her eyes never leaving his face. He had a calm smile that made her relax a little even though his build suggested he could snap her in half.

When she took the first gulp of water, her eyes trailed down to the symbol on his chest. Her breath caught in her throat and she almost choked. It was nearly identical to the one on Bizarro. More importantly, it was the same symbol that she had on her chest.

She forced herself to relax again, and steady her hammering heart. She met two men with similar marks which meant that it could be a clan symbol or a uniform.

"Don't worry, I'm not with Bizarro." He obviously took her reaction to mean something else. "My name is Superman." Sakura frowned as she handed the cup back to him. She recalled hearing that earlier today when she had been taken hostage.

"You have odd names." She remarked as she cautiously got up to her feet, strategically putting the bed between them. Sakura surveyed the room for an exit and saw only one.

"They're code names." Sakura nodded, understanding. Like ANBU names. Then she would give them hers.

"My name is Blossom." He had a wry smile on his face but never lost the calm composure.

"Is that your code name?" She answered him with another nod. "Can you tell me where you're from?"

"I'm not from this world."

"From a different planet then?" Sakura looked at him strangely, wondering what he meant by planet. "Or dimension?"

Sakura shrugged. She didn't even know how she got here. It certainly felt real and not a genjutsu.

"Are you lost?"

Tensing, she focused her attention on the man in front of her. His voice sounded familiar. Which meant he had been the one to fight Bizarro. That didn't mean he was an ally though. She searched for words to explain while keeping her village a secret. "I was…sent here by an enemy."

"We could help you find your way back home." It was an offer too good to be true and she had been taught to be wary of things that sounded too good to be true.

"Why would you?" She asked but before he could answer, she continued. "I have no money and nothing to offer you if I were to return." She assessed everything in front of her but made no immediate move to escape. She had to have more information than just this small room. There was no telling where she was and how many hostiles were outside.

"That's what the Justice League does. We help people who need it." Sakura tried to detect a lie but there wasn't one. He looked so earnest.

So she decided to test him. "I'd like to leave and be left alone."

He put his hands up, defensively, as if to tell her he didn't mean any harm. "You're not a prisoner."

She kept an eye on him but made her way to the door. "I'll let myself out."

The door opened on its own and the man in black walked in. Sakura got into a fighting stance.

"Batman, there's no reason for us to keep her here."

"You have abilities that could endanger others." Sakura bristled at that.

"So do you."

"We don't trust you enough to let you out."

"I don't trust you enough to stay." She held her ground defiantly.

"We have someone who can look into your mind. If he says you're not a threat, we'll let you go."

"How do I know he won't do something unsavory up there?"

"They say that the untrustworthy are usually untrusting." Superman let out a huff of air that earned him a glare from his friend.

"None of you have given me a reason to trust you." She replied.

"Your attack on Green Lantern put him in a coma." Sakura froze, eyes growing wide before realizing the truth.

"It was a mild electrical current to his nerves. He felt the effects for ten minutes at the most." Her matter of fact answer seemed to appease him. He had been testing whether or not she meant to hurt his friends. Sakura respected that.

"Follow me." Batman turned and walked out, expecting her to do as she had been told.

"He's like that." Superman supplied. "But he is right. You have abilities that could potentially put others in danger. We just want to make sure you won't." Sakura turned her attention back on the man who had her soul mark on his uniform.

"I'll go, if you tell me why you have that symbol on you and what it means."

"It's a family crest that means hope."

"The man who abducted me also had that symbol."

"Bizarro was a failed clone of me created to kill me." Sakura had the ridiculous urge to touch the mark on her chest. Worse, she wanted to show it to him. His family crest was branded on her skin as a soul mark.

"I—" Before Sakura could get a chance to say anything, Batman motioned for her to follow him again.

This time, she did so. Though her mind was reeling from what she'd discovered, she kept her eyes open for possible escape routes and security measures. There were a few people milling about of different shapes and sizes. They probably possessed abilities as well, which meant it wasn't going to be so simple.

Sakura continued to follow closely behind until she caught sight of a window. She immediately stopped in her tracks as she saw the giant ball outside as well as tiny lights. Stars, she realized. Then she caught sight of the moon….which meant that the giant blue and green ball was…with an awed sigh, Sakura approached the window, incapable of taking her eyes off it.

"It's…beautiful." There was a lengthy pause in which Sakura continued to stare before Batman grew impatient and cleared his throat.

"Blossom." Sakura turned to him, her eyes still sparkling in wonder. She had felt so out of place and lost but seeing the earth from the outside grounded her somehow. It should have made her feel small but the beauty of seeing it as no one had seen it before left her speechless.

They made it to a door that opened automatically after a brief second. Sakura cautiously followed him inside. It had a glass window that looked directly into a smaller room.

"He's waiting for you inside." Sakura opened the door and closed it behind her. A green figure was seated on the other side of the room, facing her. She was initially shocked but hid it well.

"Hello, my name is J'onn J'onzz. Please, have a seat."

Sakura sat down. Since he was going to find out her name anyway, she offered it up to him. "My name is Sakura." He smiled slightly.

"Let me know when you're comfortable enough to begin." Sakura nodded, ensuring that her inner Sakura kept the more sensitive information guarded.

J'onn's probe into her mind was gentle at first, picking at her various thoughts. She could tell J'onn was trying to make the experience less unpleasant for her. She tried to keep all thoughts of her soul mark out of her mind. His probing grew deeper, seeking the memory of how she'd arrived in this world.

With J'onn's help she was able to remember the minutes leading up to her arrival to this world. She'd been healing Kakashi from a near fatal wound when she saw one of the enemy shinobi preparing a jutsu intended for Naruto. Sasuke and Itachi were too far to do anything, already fighting multiple people and Naruto had been knocked down. When she realized he wouldn't have enough time to react, Sakura simply acted. She'd intended to tackle them both to the ground but the jutsu had been too fast. She had succeeded in pushing Naruto out of the path of the jutsu but hadn't been quick enough to dodge it herself.

Sakura had felt like she'd been disintegrated, she was sure it looked like it to her teammates…which meant they would list her as killed in action.

No one was coming for her.

No one even knew where she was.

She was alone.

"Rule 25." Sakura told herself, never show tears. But she'd always been the worst at that. 'Don't show weakness. A shinobi must never show any weakness.' Sakura repeated the phrase again and again in her mind. But it didn't work.

A sudden torrent of emotion was released and she couldn't stop the tears from falling.

She watched her life flash before her with J'onn, memories flooded her. Chuunin exams, training with Tsunade, work at the hospital, minor missions, training with Itachi, the battle against the Akatsuki, Naruto's wedding. She would never see them again. More tears fell and Sakura felt her heart breaking as though it were a physical wound. An exposed nerve was being picked at and each touch caused Sakura pain.

There were three people who possessed the sharingan on their high ranked mission. But none of them would have gotten the opportunity to see the jutsu being performed. Even Sakura had only seen a part of the hand signs. It was unlikely anyone would be able to replicate the jutsu.

It was suddenly too much for her and Sakura couldn't help but reject the intruder.

"Get out!" Her yell matched her inner's. J'onn was ejected from her mind. Exhausted mentally and physically, Sakura slumped in her seat. She heard an utterly devastated, anguished wail and it took her a moment to realize that it had come from her.

Dimly, she heard J'onn tell Batman he was alright.

Her head in her hands, Sakura was sobbing and couldn't bring herself to stop. Escape. She needed to get out of here. Unable to breathe, Sakura clumsily disappeared in a flurry of sakura petals.

Having J'onn in her head completely unraveled all of the calm poise she'd tried to keep up. Sakura had tried not to think about the possibility of never returning to Konoha. She believed in her friends and their ability to find her but J'onn made her acknowledge the fact that she appeared to have disintegrated in front of Naruto. They wouldn't try looking for her if they'd thought she was dead.

She was surrounded by people she didn't know. Casting a jutsu, Sakura made herself invisible and silently appeared by the window she'd passed earlier. She had the wherewithal to cast a jutsu to silence her crying. Taking a seat, she peered outside and tried to recall the serenity she felt earlier. Sakura watched the earth turn in utter calm. It took long minutes to achieve the same calmness. Tears still flowed freely but she was no longer sobbing uncontrollably. Uncaring that her body heat would cause steam to appear on the glass, Sakura leaned against the window and wept silently.

If there was no chakra in this world, it meant she had no starting point in replicating the jutsu. But the people of this world seemed open to the idea of different worlds which meant they had to have some idea in traveling between them. Sakura considered the possibility in seeking their assistance. But if they had no idea what Konoha was, perhaps it was safer for her village to keep the location a secret. Could she open this door and potentially put Konoha in danger?

The tears began falling again. Sakura couldn't entrust the safety of her village to these people. But as they were the only option she had so far, Sakura would have to keep them close and see if they were trustworthy. The lack of an alarm or people looking for her cued her into the fact that they already knew where she was. She didn't know how but it was clear that they possessed abilities and technology. It was another concern of hers. If she found her way home and the people of this world decided to attack, there was no guarantee that Konoha would prevail.

Another half hour passed by in which Sakura simply watched the world turn in the distance. Having gotten her emotions under control, Sakura revealed herself but didn't otherwise move.

Ten minutes passed before she was approached by J'onn. She didn't feel him probe her mind for which she was thankful.

"I did not mean to cause you any discomfort or pain." Sakura didn't reply. There wasn't anything she could think of to say. J'onn continued, "I know you are reluctant to rely on us." Sakura slowly turned to him, her face was tear stained and her eyes were red. "But I believe we can help you, Sakura."

She took a shaking breath. Her voice came out hoarse, pain still etched there. Sakura turned back to the scene by the window. "They're not looking for me."

"We'll help you find them again."

Those were the exact words she wanted to hear. But it just made her sadder. "I'd like to be left alone." Sakura closed her eyes. "Please." She didn't care that others would see or that she was a mess.

She heard J'onn take a step towards her. "We have extra rooms here, if you'd like to rest in one of them. We can get you a change of clothes and some food." It sounded heavenly. But it also meant she would have to move and Sakura wasn't up for that yet. She was also marginally afraid the room would be more like her jail cell so she shook her head. As if sensing her objections to the change of location, J'onn added, "the door wouldn't be locked."

A wry smile touched her lips as she opened her eyes and gave J'onn her full attention once again. He'd been in her head and it seemed he knew how she liked to think. Picking herself up from the ground, Sakura placed a genjutsu on herself to straighten out her haphazard appearance.

J'onn led the way and within a few minutes, they stopped at an open door. He walked inside with her and pointed at a screen next to the door on the inside. "You can call me if you need anything." He seemed to sense her confusion and pressed a finger to the black screen which turned it on. Then he pressed a green button and flicked his finger upwards until a 'J' showed up.

Sakura nodded and surveyed the room. It was clean and fairly sparse, reminding her of a hospital room. There was another door that presumably led to a bathroom and a small bed next to the wall as well as a small night stand along with a lamp.

"Thank you." She said as he exited.

"I'll bring you some food." Sakura nodded. As soon as he left, the door closed behind him and Sakura all but crawled to the bed and curled up into a ball under the covers.

Sakura had just closed her eyes when J'onn returned with a soft knock. "Come in." She said quietly.

J'onn entered silently and left what sounded like a tray on the night stand before departing. When the door clicked closed, she took a deep shaky breath and closed her eyes.

* * *

As soon as J'onn left Sakura's room, he headed straight for the meeting room where the rest of the founding members of the Justice League were seated. Hal and Clark seemed almost somber. Bruce and Arthur betrayed none of their emotions. Barry had been impatient and Diana the most skeptical.

"She's resting." J'onn said as the members took their seats.

"Any idea where she's from?" Barry asked, curiously.

"It isn't any world or dimension I've visited. It's very similar to Earth, one sun and moon with similar vegetation and geology."

"A different dimension then."

"Perhaps. Her world isn't as technologically advanced and is still feudalistic in many aspects. But certainly not barbaric or medieval." J'onn answered Barry again.

"Abilities?" Bruce asked, getting to the point of the meeting.

"As far as I can tell, she uses energy from within which can manifest itself in different ways. It's most closely related a form of life energy."

"Do you know how she arrived here?" Clark asked.

"She took an attack intended for a teammate. I doubt the user even knew what it did. To anyone who saw the attack, it would appear as though she had been disintegrated." There were various sympathetic looks from a few members.

"Is she a threat?"

"She seems to have been a ninja and mercenary for her village. She's certainly killed before but for the service of her clansmen and she has seen war. But I do not believe she is evil. In fact, I believe she was a healer. I've witnessed her perform surgeries and even remove poison from a man's bloodstream."

"Why is she refusing our assistance?" Diana demanded.

"She's only just arrived to this world. Her world is filled with deceit and betrayal. I believe she intimately knows the feeling of both. I suspect she is also trying to protect her world." There wasn't any in the League who couldn't respect that. Even the most trusting of them could understand Sakura's caution.

"Anything else you can tell us about her? How old is she?" Clark inquired.

"I estimate she's around 25. She has a strong will, evidenced by the fact she could expel me from her mind. One of her abilities seems to allow her to be invulnerable for a short time. It has something to do with the diamond on her forehead."

"Is that a soul mark?" Arthur asked this time, chiming in for the first time. People around the table grew uncomfortable. Arthur knew first hand just how excruciating it was to be apart from one's soulmate. Those around the table kept their own marks hidden well.

J'onn shook his head. "I don't believe she's met him yet. The mark on her forehead seems to be related to her abilities. A sort of reserve of energy and last resort."

"She was going to survive the fall from Bizarro by using that." Hal commented with an 'ah-ha' snap of his fingers. J'onn nodded in agreement.

"What do you suggest we do with her?" Bruce tried to get them back on track.

"I believe she requires our assistance. If not to return to her own world then to acclimate to ours. She could be a valuable ally or a formidable opponent."

"I'll keep an eye on her." Though it didn't sound like a suggestion, J'onn took it to be one.

"You're probably the last person she wants to see."

Hal chuckled. "Can't believe she lasted 5 minutes."

Bruce crossed his arms, glowering at J'onn. "Who would you suggest?"

"Anyone but you." Barry quipped to a hard glare from the man in black.

"I believe Barry and Bruce will remind her too much of people from her world." Diana was an obvious bad choice as well. Though she was accustomed to living with the others, the Amazonian still considered the rest of the world a bit beneath her, as 'man's world'. He believed Arthur could be a good option. It could be a cathartic experience for the man and it could provide for him to reconnect and feel needed again. J'onn also had to take himself out of the running. Most people didn't feel comfortable around someone who could read minds.

"Hal?"

The Green Lantern shook his head apologetically. "Would love to but I'm spread a bit thin at the moment."

Left with only one option, J'onn turned his attention to Clark. The other man got the message. "I'll help her." With the biggest concern settled, the group moved onto other pressing issues.

* * *

 **Please review, it lets me know I'm on the right track with this and gives me a lot of motivation to continue.**


	3. TonySakura: Tricycle

**Tony/Sakura - Shinobi Themes Challenge #13: Tricycle**

 **Thank you to Diamondluver67 and** **WinchesterCherryBlossom!**

 **Alex: I was in the process of writing this when I saw your comment. I do have themes for Loki/Saku and Bat/Saku that hopefully go well. Thor/Saku is a bit tricky for me but I do have a few themes I set aside for him.**

 **Musicmiss: I'm glad you enjoyed it so far. I'm still in the process of writing part 2.**

 **Rimk10: Not all of the stories will be soulmate stuff but variety is the spice of life. Hope you enjoy this one!**

* * *

An impatient sound left her lips as Sakura's gaze drifted to the clock for the fifth time in as many minutes.

That…workaholic nightmare of a husband of hers was going to get punched through a wall if he didn't have a good explanation for why he was so horrendously late.

Thankfully, before Sakura screamed in frustration, Natasha sauntered in the living room with a quizzical expression.

"What are you still doing here?" Her friend caught on quickly then smiled sympathetically. Sakura was sure the Black Widow was actually laughing at her suffering. "I'll watch Tony junior, you go grapple with the senior."

Sakura gave Nat a silent thank you then tip toed to the hovering cradle gently rocking from side to side. It had been a Tony invention that Sakura wanted nothing to do with her baby. But it had gone through every conceivable hazard and had come out with flying colors. On top of being sturdy despite hovering two feet off the ground, it was made of solid vibranium.

Davin was still sleeping soundly, his green eyes closed peacefully. The calm rise and fall of his chest was something Sakura could watch all day, especially when he was in an adorable Thor onesie.

Carefully picking up the baby monitor from the coffee table, Sakura brushed the wispy tuft of black hair that defied gravity.

Nodding to Natasha in thanks again, Sakura stalked down the stairs to Tony's lair and entered in her access code.

There were scraps of metal everywhere and her dutiful, loving, liar of a husband had his back towards her, hunched over the worktable.

He was much too preoccupied with whatever he was working on to make his lunch date with her.

She knew he probably absently heard the clicking of her heels but was thinking too hard to really be listening.

"Tony!" He jerked at her annoyed tone and tried to hide what he was working on by spinning quickly. But she'd gotten enough of a glimpse to feel a headache coming.

Her free hand came up to grip the bridge of her nose as the migraine started from behind her eyes.

"Please." Sakura growled, nearly crushing the baby monitor in her fist. "Please, tell me you're not working on a tricycle for my son."

There was a nervous laugh as Tony approached her but stayed out of punching distance. " _Our_ son. And it's more than a tricycle. It's gonna have all the bells and whistles, it'll be able to—" His excited explanation trailed off, sensing that she was genuinely upset.

He promised her a stress free lunch away from Stark Tower and some couple-time.

TLC he'd called it.

Time away from a crying baby, Avengers work, and Stark Industries he'd called it.

Sakura looked up to glare at him. Tony's charming smile was usually disarming but she was too tired and hungry to be swayed. She had been looking forward to this all week.

"Is this why you're late for our lunch date? You do realize it's now 2 o'clock. Lunch time is over, Tony." She chastised. Honestly, how could he be a certified genius when he had absolutely no concept of time. He was just as bad as Kakashi! Sakura's aggravated mind was baffled at how two of the smartest men she knew were both so unpunctual.

He glanced at the clock on the far side of the wall then back at her with a slightly guilty expression before looking up at the ceiling.

"Jarvis! You were supposed to let me know when it was half past noon."

"I did, sir." Sakura's glare turned harder. "You told me to inform Mrs. Stark that you would be up in five minutes."

And Jarvis had done just that. The only problem was the time frame kept getting pushed back until Rhodey had to leave for a meeting.

It meant Sakura had been left with a fussy baby until she finally got him to sleep after changing his diaper and feeding him again, leaving her no time to get a proper meal without Tony.

He brought his hands up in a placating manner then took a step closer. He'd made her wait an hour and forty-two minutes, enough to make any person rightfully furious.

"Sakura, we can go now. I'm just about done." Tony back peddled quickly when she scoffed in disbelief and crossed her arms. "I mean, I can finish everything when we come back."

Better.

His hands came up to rest on her shoulders, rubbing them slightly, hoping to soothe her annoyance. "I'm sorry." His apology was sincere and it tugged at her to forgive him but this wasn't the first time something like this happened.

Sakura's expression was blank as Tony gave her puppy eyes.

There was a beat.

"Davin isn't going on that thing." She said, as she turned on her heel and made her way to the door. "You have ten minutes to get cleaned up while I ask someone to watch our son."

She looked over her shoulder, to make sure her next words would be taken seriously.

"If you're even a second late, I'm going to break everything in this room after I break your hands." Her arms still crossed over her chest, Sakura looked at him expectantly for a response, indicating he fully understood her threat. She was certain she wouldn't really break Tony's hands, even if she could heal them immediately afterwards but the same wasn't true for his toys.

He gulped, face paling at her threat. "Yes, ma'am."

"Don't call me ma'am."

"Yes, mistress." Sakura couldn't help but smile at his antics. She knew he was a workaholic when she married him and she knew he could hole himself up in this room for days tinkering with whatever crossed his mind.

In the beginning, Sakura thought it was endearing. He was so focused and he could be so single-minded that it was oddly mesmerizing to watch him work. Yet there were times his intelligence forced his brain to race five steps ahead of everyone else, darting from a topic to a theory to an anecdote, then back to the topic.

He confused her at first, his humor and demeanor so utterly foreign to her. More so than the world she inexplicably found herself in just two years ago. But he helped her make a home here and she wouldn't change his quirks for the world.

Tony half jogged up to kiss her cheek. His facial hair brushed against her skin in an all too familiar way that she secretly enjoyed. "Love you." Sakura hummed, still not placated enough to say the words back to him. But her stiff posture relaxed enough for her arms to fall naturally at her side.

"Nine minutes, forty seconds." Tony ran ahead of her out the door to change. At his mention of Jarvis again, Sakura could only shake her head ruefully. The fact that he'd been working on something for Davin brought her temper down to a simmer.

That man was ridiculous but no one could deny that Tony was trying to be a good father by trying to do all the things his own father didn't do for him.

She glanced at the almost finished tricycle then looked to the heavens for patience.

Davin was only three months old. She couldn't even begin to imagine what Tony would make when their child became a teenager. Turning off the lights, Sakura made her way back to the living room to ask Natasha for another favor.

* * *

 **Let me know if you want to see more of Tony/Sakura! I don't have any more planned for this pairing but this was a delight to write.**

 **I first named the child Robert after RDJ but figured that would be too obvious.**

 **Davin is the name of the child actor who played Tony in Iron Man 2 in the scene where Howard Stark is shooting a video and in the end says that Tony is his greatest creation. Thought it would be fitting here.**


	4. JasonSakura: Inner Demons

**Jason/Sakura - Shinobi Themes Challenge #4: Inner Demons**

 **Per review from a guest mentioning Red Hood.**

 **Thank you to those who reviewed. It definitely does help and they make all the difference.**

 **I think I have another Tony/Sakura in me further down the line.**

 **Sakuraluver: I hadn't planned on a Bucky/Sakura/Steve but I'll try to think of something.**

 **I'm in the process of writing a Loki/Sakura that's getting a bit steamy. Just a friendly reminder that I purposefully made this story rated M.**

* * *

"Why are you always so fucking reckless?"

Sakura didn't like to swear but it was the only way Jason took her scolding seriously. Ever since he found out she had the ability to heal his wounds in the matter of minutes, he seemed to have a death wish.

His answer to her anger?

A chuckle.

After all of her previous efforts to keep him alive, it felt a bit wasteful to kill him now. So, she returned to pushing the bullet from his bicep then stitch together the muscles and tissues with her chakra. Sakura worked silently, still annoyed he was going through with his stupid plan and got shot once again.

"Sakura." She looked up at him with a glare. "You know I have to do this." She didn't answer him, instead choosing to wipe the drying blood away from his skin.

After she finished healing his superficial injuries, Sakura stood up and walked away.

Stopping at the doorway, she glanced back at him. She couldn't do this anymore. Her presence was like a crutch for him, it was making him worse and being around him was going to get him killed. It would break her.

"Do you know what I would do if you died?" Sakura sighed then averted her gaze when he didn't answer her with some smart aleck remark.

"Avenge you." She could feel his penetrating blue eyes on her, willing her to look at him. But if she saw his face, she would crumble, and she would stay.

Her voice became a whisper. "Follow you." It was as close to a confession as she would get.

Sakura walked out of the dilapidated one bedroom apartment Jason kept in Gotham, wondering why she was doing this to herself. She didn't understand why he would squander his second chance at life. Why he couldn't work past the rage.

He never fully explained what had happened, even after Sakura disclosed the story of her life. She told him more than she'd ever meant to while he remained vague.

Sasuke, Naruto, war, the deaths of her friends, and finally, how she had run from it all afterwards. Unable to return to a home where nothing was the same and familiar faces didn't roam. Sakura refused to be like Kakashi, standing in front of the cenotaph for hours on end, staring at their names.

So she left. She ran from the pain, from her responsibilities as a shinobi, and from the title of Hokage. Because that wasn't her dream, that had been Naruto's. Sakura's dream had been to be strong enough to keep her friends safe. And she failed.

* * *

 _Sakura had been in a remote area of the Swiss Alps for two months already. It had taken her nearly a week just to find herself some adequate shelter, an abandoned cottage, and get accustomed to the weather._

 _Fifty miles from the nearest person, Sakura hadn't had any opportunity to interact with anyone in this odd dimension but that had been what she wanted. She needed time alone to heal._

 _Her life had fallen into a comfortable rhythm and Sakura was doing quite well. Her little cabin was a mile from a fresh water source and although the weather was colder than she was used to, it was warm enough that Sakura could hunt for food and pick berries._

 _All in all, things were going smoothly until she came across a body on an embankment while she was checking her fish traps._

 _At first, Sakura had thought it was a white log or some sort of rock but as she walked closer, she noticed that it was a person covered in bandages. Looking around the area for any sigh of another person, Sakura cautiously approached the body. He was lying face up, bandaged nearly from head to toe and half submerged in the water. The only part of his body uncovered was his face._

 _Although his skin was blue from the exposure to the elements, Sakura could tell he had been quite handsome. Unable to just leave him to rot, Sakura leaned down, intent on giving him some dignity with a burial._

 _"What happened to you?" Sakura wondered aloud then gasped and recoiled, nearly falling back when she noticed his steady breathing._

 _Instinctively, she brought a glowing hand to his chest to assess the damage and whether she could possibly save his life. Sakura would have to work quickly but it seemed she had found him before hypothermia could set in._

 _It went against her medic way to simply leave him. She worked quickly and efficiently, picking him up with ease on her back and making the trip to her home in record time. It had been very touch and go, she wasn't sure how long he had been outside but it took all of her considerable effort to save not only his life but all of his limbs from frostbite._

 _She monitored him closely for two days but the mysterious man had yet to regain consciousness. His natural color returned and Sakura had been able to sustain him enough with her chakra. Unfortunately, she hadn't been able to get him any clothes and had to get rid of the ribbons of bandages in order to adequately assess his skin for damage. Which meant he was currently naked under her sheets._

 _Sakura had been kneeling next to his sleeping form on her futon when he woke, startling her._

 _His pained gasp brought her on edge and she had been about to tell him to take it easy when his pale blue eyes, wide with shock landed on her._

 _Sakura jerked in surprise at his crazed look and words failed her as his hands wrapped around her neck in the next instant. He squeezed, bruising her throat instantly as he tackled her to the floor onto her back and straddled her chest._

 _As quickly as he attacked, he released her and stood, clawing at his head with a pained yell._

 _She gulped in as much air as she could, still stunned from the sudden aggression, then healed her internal bruising to be able to speak. Sakura left the external bruising to keep pretenses then carefully stood up to try and calm her patient down._

 _"It's okay." She whispered, her voice still hoarse. "Can you tell me who you are?" He was so tense, he trembled with the scant control he had left, his body taut._

 _He pulled at his hair in distress before scrubbing his hands over his face and keeping them there. "I found you unconscious nearby. My name is Sakura."_

 _"Where am I?" His voice was deep and strained but at least he could communicate._

 _"Switzerland, the Alps." Sakura eyed him warily in case he attacked her again._

 _"Why am I naked?" Before she could answer, he touched his chest and arms. Sakura wasn't sure what he was looking for but answered him._

 _"You were only wrapped in bandages when I found you. I had to cut them off to look for any injuries."_

* * *

They lived together for a few weeks in her cabin as Sakura helped him adjust. She should have been scared of him, should have kicked him out and continued living her hermit life away from people.

But he reminded her too much of Sasuke, broken, lost, filled with hate and self-loathing. So she let him stay as he mended his fractured mind enough to function on his own. At first Sakura thought he was still in shock from whatever near death experience had brought him to the ravine. But when he took three days to even tell her his name, Sakura suspected he was going through something much more serious.

And when she caught him training and realized he was a fighter, Sakura should have been the one to leave.

But she didn't.

When he awoke one night, screaming and scratching at his skin as though desperate to get out of his own body, Sakura tried to stop him. When he hit her in confusion, she fought back, if only to prevent him from inflicting more pain onto himself.

By then though, there was no running for her. Sakura explained how she had come to this dimension and Jason had patiently listened. She had hoped that he might tell her more about himself. But even now, all she knew was that he had nearly died and the one person meant to protect him had failed. Sakura knew she was projecting her own failures and trying to atone for herself in her attempts to help Jason but Sakura couldn't help herself.

They trained together and she liked to think that they had grown closer.

Then, one day he announced he would leave for revenge and Sakura should have let him go.

But she couldn't even do that right.

As soon as he asked if she wanted to go with him, Sakura had jumped. After going on so long without another person to talk to, then finding Jason, she couldn't go back to her lonely self-exiled existence. She was repenting, helping him find his closure so that she could go on living with herself, punishing herself by helping him punish the people who hurt him.

Looking back on it now, it had been a mistake.

Jason had been a mistake. Not her first, and certainly not her last.

What was it with her and loving broken men? Sakura would scrounge up some money and get out of here. It couldn't be too hard to buy a one-way ticket back to her cabin. Maybe she could get a cat.

Sakura had been walking down the darkened streets towards the studio Jason had found for her when the pink hairs on the back of her neck stood up. The eerie calm of the street had deceptively lulled her into a false sense of security.

A second later, a dark figure dropped down from the rooftop above her. The black cape flared out as he absorbed the impact with his knees. The streets weren't brightly lit by any means but there was enough light for her to see him clearly as he faced the streetlamp behind her.

The infamous Batman. The man who failed to protect Jason.

"We should talk." His voice was like gravel with mechanical undertones.

"I don't have anything to say to you." She announced, as she made her way around him.

It wasn't the first time he appeared in front of her, intent on getting information about Jason's whereabouts and plans.

"Red Hood is dangerous."

"Yes, he is." Sakura said conversationally in a matter-of-fact tone.

"I need to stop him."

 _Tell me where he is._

The order didn't go over her head. It was part of the reason why the two of them lived separately. Sakura's abilities were kept secret so it would be easier to cast a henge and meet Jason at his apartment while keeping up pretenses of not knowing where he was by keeping her own place.

Sakura breezed past him and was halted by a gloved hand around her arm.

"Look." Sakura wretched her arm out of his grasp a bit too forcefully. She nearly sighed in annoyance. "If Red Hood wants to kill every criminal in this bleak, shithole of a city, I'm fine with that. If you want to spend all of your money on prisons to keep those low lives alive, I'm fine with that too. I have no obligation to this city or its people. I was here for him, and if being here makes him worse, I'll leave."

If he felt anything at all about her words, he didn't show it. "Where will you go?"

"Does it matter?" There was a beat of silence.

He was such an asshole. "I won't be a problem." Sakura said, assuring him she wouldn't reveal his secret identity.

Silence.

She hated this man the most.

"Switzerland. I'll be a nice little neutral in your turf war with Jase."

There was a muffled 'pop' and a whizzing sound. Batman moved to the side but the direction he dodged had been anticipated and something hit Batman in the back of his shoulder, dropping him to a knee with a grunt.

There was a dull buzz as the electrical current went through the older man while Jason landed next to her before straightening. His red mask firmly in place, he slid a casual arm across her shoulders.

"Don't touch my girl, Bruce."

 _My girl?_

Sakura shrugged his arm off even as a blush appeared on her cheeks when he instead dropped his hand to her waist, tucking her into his side. He never teased her this way. She felt his weapons and gadgets dig into her side and thigh but said nothing as Batman stood to his full height, flicking the tag off his cape as though it were a minor annoyance.

"Jason." It was said in a warning, Batman didn't like having his secret exposed to people he didn't know.

Sakura knew they wouldn't fight while she was so close. While Jason knew she could take a hit, Batman's code prevented him from placing 'civilians' in harms way.

"I won't tell you again. She's off limits." A chill settled over her at the dark edge in Jason's voice.

As if sensing the same, Batman gave a small nod. "Alright. Tomorrow, 7 o'clock, Batcave. And I'll leave Ms. Haruno alone." Sakura froze at that, wondering how in the world he knew her surname.

"Tell Alfred to bring out the biscuits." Sakura wasn't sure if that was a joke or meant to be serious. At the confirmation that he would be there, Batman took out his grapple hook without another word and shot up to the rooftop before disappearing from view.

The hand on her waist tightened as though Jason feared she would take off.

"He was going to leave me alone anyway." She said, instead rooted to her spot. If this was some ploy to keep her around to act as his personal medic, she was going to punch him into the building across the street.

"You're not going back to Switzerland, babe." It was authoritative and the term of endearment only sent a sharp ache to her chest.

She could feel his eyes on her though Sakura purposefully avoided it. "Sugar? Honey? Flower?" His voice was light, teasing, and each word twisted something in her heart as he goaded her for a reaction.

"Stop." She murmured, stepping away from him, her eyes were shining with pained tears. Her pink hair fell in front of her as she looked down, willing the tears back.

"Sakura."

She flinched and shook her head, still unable to look at him. Sakura thought it would be cathartic to help him but it was only hurting her. There was only so much loss one person could take and she was at her limit.

"I didn't think you would ever-" He trailed off, his voice growing a bit unsure. Sakura waited for the rejection, for the pleas to stay, if only as a friend.

The sound of his mask coming off confused her but she had to be resolute for her own sake.

"Damn it. You don't get to leave after saying something like that." He growled at her, turning her shock to confusion as she span around to face him. His Robin mask was still on but being able to see the emotion on his features made all the difference. He was also wearing his blood stained clothes from earlier, letting her know he had gotten dressed immediately after she left.

He wasn't teasing her.

"Where I'm going..." He ran his free hand through his hair with a sardonic grin. "I don't want to lead you there."

Her breath hitched.

"But I don't want you to leave." His voice was raw. Sakura could tell he barely refrained from reaching out to her by the way his knuckles turned ashen on his red mask.

 _Don't leave me._

Disbelief on her features, Sakura stared at him and understood that he had always been holding back because he thought he was undeserving. This was the closest he would get to a confession.

But they didn't need superfluous words to get their point across.

The weight in her heart lifted as hope flared and took its place. Her resolve crumbled, as she knew it would.

Telling herself she wouldn't fail this time, that she would be strong enough to keep Jason alive, Sakura nodded as her tears finally bubbled over and ran down her cheeks.

Jason scowled. "Don't cry. I'll feel like a fucking piece of shit." She let out a choked laugh as more tears fell in relief.

He immediately took a step towards her and leaned down to press their foreheads together. Her eyes fluttered shut as she soaked up this moment and the feel of his arms wrapping around her smaller form, bringing their bodies flush together. Her tears dried slowly as their breaths mingled in the small space between them.

"I guess I can stop getting shot in order to get you in my room." Incredulous, Sakura jerked back, her hands coming up to push his chest but Jason's arms prevented her from getting too far and her cry of outrage was silenced by his lips. He held the back of her neck possessively, angling her to deepen the kiss.

* * *

 **I quite like how this one turned out. I'm trying to think of different AUs instead of just the "Sakura gets hit by enemy jutsu."**

 **Please review as it motivates me and gives me ideas. Such as whether or not to have this chapter in Red Hood's perspective.  
**

 **Some of my inspiration for this one was the song I Will Follow You Into The Dark by Death Cab for Cutie.**

 **Thank you!**


	5. ClarkSakura: Leap of Faith Pt2

**Clark/Sakura - Shinobi Themes Challenge #29: Leap of Faith Pt. 2**

 **Thank you for your reviews/follows/favorites! They really keep me going.**

* * *

Sakura woke an hour later, still drained but knowing she had to eat something to replenish her chakra. She halfheartedly picked at her food but forced herself to finish it. After she took a shower and washed her clothes, she put on the spare clothes in the room which consisted of a plain white t-shirt and long white pants.

Sakura scrutinized her appearance in the bathroom mirror.

She looked terrible. Her eyes were red and puffy, almost swollen shut. Half of her wanted to curl up and sleep for days. With a sigh, she brought the familiar glow of chakra to her eyes to heal the puffiness away. Her gaze fell to her chest and sakura lifted the shirt to her chin and held it there with one hand. The other hand traced the soul mark between her breasts. She had always been grateful it was in such an intimate location where she could cover it easily and now she was one step closer to finally figuring out who it belonged to. Refusing to contemplate the possibility she was meant to stay in this strange world, Sakura lowered her shirt.

Lightly slapping her cheeks with her palms, she pinched them to bring back their rosy color.

"Yosh!" Sakura tested a smile on her face and tried to pump herself up. If Naruto and her friends weren't coming for her, she'd do everything in her power to return to them.

Naruto wouldn't lose hope so she wouldn't either. Telling herself she could do this, Sakura stretched her back, standing tall. She was a shinobi of the Leaf, student to one of the legendary Sannin. She was head of the Hospital and the best medic nin in the world. Not to mention an ANBU operative. If there was anyone who could survive this ordeal, it was her. From this moment forward, every time she thought of Naruto and her friends, she was going to imagine their shocked faces as she greeted them. The idea itself brought a genuine smile to her face.

Step one was testing her limits in this place. If she wasn't a prisoner, that meant she was free to walk around. Taking the tray and the empty plates, Sakura opened the door and stepped out.

Step two, figure out the layout of this metal maze she found herself in.

The place was more advanced than any of the technology in her world. She would have to learn what each of them did. For now, she used her senses and followed them to where the most people were gathered. She figured that would lead her to either the living quarters or the cafeteria. Either way, it was better to be seen in the open rather than in an isolated corner. It didn't take her long to find her way as the path was fairly straightforward with only two turns.

Not knowing what time it was or what schedule they kept, Sakura entered what she assumed was the cafeteria. She heard various conversations and could smell food. Almost as soon as she entered, a small hush fell over the scattered tables. She quickly sought out the return station and left her tray there before exiting just as confidently.

That wasn't so hard. No one had tried to attack her. Letting out a sigh, she walked further from her room and the cafeteria intending on mapping out the rest of the place before heading back. She was silently counting her steps when she saw Superman turn the corner and smile at her.

Simply seeing the symbol on his chest made her heart clench. "If you need any help navigating the Watchtower, just let me know." He said.

Sakura tilted her head to the side in confusion. "Watchtower?"

He smiled more brightly and chuckled. "It's what we call the station. We protect the planet and occasionally beyond it from here. It's our base of operations."

"How do you get back down?"

"There are transporters. A few of us have spaceships and a few of us can fly down." She didn't fully understand but gave a thoughtful nod. She already guessed he could fly but wondered if he was one of the few who could fly back down. Sakura didn't see why he wouldn't be able to do so.

"I can walk you to your room if you'd like. Or show you to the cafeteria."

"I was planning on walking back to the room." Superman motioned for her to begin walking the opposite direction and he fell in step next to her.

"I'll be helping you get used to this place and then we'll start looking for a way to get you back home." Sakura smiled a bit more genuinely.

"Thank you."

"You're safe here, Blossom."

A light blush dusted her cheeks. "My name is Sakura." She was rewarded with a smile that seemed to jumpstart her heart.

The corridor was wide enough for the two of them to walk side by side without bumping into each other. She appreciated the space he was giving her. With his imposing stature, it would be easy to feel caged in. Sakura could tell he was doing a lot to make her feel at ease and relaxed in his presence.

"People here are probably going to be a bit wary of you at first. Don't take it too personally, they're just sizing you up."

"I understand how it must be unsettling." She remarked.

* * *

Clark fought not to look further down than Sakura's chin. It took all of his considerable willpower to refrain from thinking of the fact that she wore no undergarments. He would have to ask one of the female league members for help because if Sakura walked around like this all the time, there was no way he could speak to her. He even tried to resist the urge to unclasp his cape and drape it over her. Not only was it distracting because her shirt was white but it was slightly undersized for her form, making her curves even more pronounced. Further, the Watchtower had a steady temperature of 68 degrees in order to accommodate those who had full uniforms.

Clark was about to yell mercy. First thing he was going to do was get her some clothes. Any clothes would do as long as it covered her fully and left everything to the imagination because at the moment, he didn't need x-ray vision to visualize her naked.

"I know you're probably reluctant to confide in us but I do hope that you'll eventually come to trust us."

The pink haired beauty next to him seemed to consider his words. "I'm a shinobi. I would fight, kill, and die for my village. I may come to trust you with my life." There was a short pause and he could sense she was completely serious. "It doesn't mean I'll trust you with theirs." Clark immediately understood what she meant. Her desire to protect her world was admirable. J'onn had been right about her strong will.

He didn't know how dangerous it was in her world but he couldn't help but disapprove at the ease in which she said she would kill for her village. The Justice League worked within a code of conduct, one of which was that they didn't kill humans. He also saw her cynicism in her belief that they had an ulterior motive in wanting her to be able to return home, reminding him of Bruce.

"There are a few here who can understand your loss." She looked up at him with her curious emerald eyes. "I'm originally from a planet that has been destroyed. My cousin and I are the last of our kind." She seemed thoughtful and Clark could practically hear her mind working. For a ninja, she gave away a lot more from her expressions than she probably intended through.

"I'm sorry for your loss." She sounded genuine, which meant that she wasn't apathetic or incapable of compassion.

"I found a home here. If we can't get you back home, I hope you'll consider this world your home one day. Even if you don't join the League." Clark thought it would be better to lay it down for her. They weren't keeping her a prisoner or just trying to get rid of her. If J'onn didn't consider her a threat, and she wanted to join the League, they could potentially do that. It was a better alternative than to just keep her in the Watchtower or leave her in a city somewhere by herself. Right now, she was completely alone but she didn't have to be in the future.

"I don't know if Batman will ever trust me." She had a wry sense of humor.

"He's…more cautious than most." Clark said delicately.

"Paranoid?"

Clark chuckled. "I suppose it borderlines on paranoia."

"He doesn't seem that powerful." She backpedaled quickly, "physically, I mean." Clark recalled Bruce's assessment of her skill in hand to hand combat and inwardly laughed at the Dark Knight's expense. This young slip of a girl had found Batman weak.

"He's formidable in other aspects." She nodded, again thoughtful. "Are those in your world as powerful as you are?" He asked, careful not to make his questions too prodding.

A small smile appeared on her delicate face and he knew she was thinking of people she was close with. "They're all strong in different ways."

Though Sakura and Bruce had gotten off on the wrong foot, Clark could see how they were quite similar. They played things close to the chest and were adept at providing vague answers or deflecting questions. But he could also see how much she loved her people and he couldn't fault her for her desire to protect them.

"Did you…have a significant other?" She seemed to ponder his words so he clarified, "were you married?"

"No. There was no one…" She avoided his eyes and turned her head to the windows they passed by. Clark waited patiently for her to continue. "Do you have soul marks here?" Her question was quiet.

"We do." She took a sharp intake of breath that a normal man wouldn't have been able to hear and turned her attention straight down the corridor, avoiding him.

"I tried looking for him in my world since I was a teen. But no one had seen the symbol before and I never found him." She sounded regretful and Clark couldn't help but sympathize. But mostly, he was surprised she had gotten her soul mark at such a young age. He hadn't received his own odd symbol until he was in his 20's.

She was on the defensive and he regretted bringing up the subject. A part of him wanted to tell her he hadn't found his own soulmate but decided against it. He still had a chance to find his but she had been taken out of her world and would have no chance of meeting her soulmate until she returned.

"Thank you for walking me back." Clark had an inexplicable urge to keep her from actually entering her room but squashed it. He could tell she was still in pain although she tried valiantly to hide it, he didn't want to leave her alone in this vulnerable state.

The door opened and Clark forced himself to smile as she stepped inside.

Clark made his way to the main control room where Bruce was already working. He wasn't surprised to see that Bruce still hadn't left yet. With an internal shake of his head, Clark went to look at what the other man had been working on for the past few hours.

Two screens were in front of Bruce. One showed footage from the bank Bizarro had robbed along with dash cam footage from the police cars and the other was a satellite image of the city. He was working off of the satellite image and the bank robbery to find out where Sakura had come from.

"Got anything?" Clark asked, crossing his arms in front of his chest.

"She appears here." Bruce replied, cuing up the video and moving it frame by frame. A pink and red figure dropped onto the roof next to the bank from what appeared to be a black portal. The images were remarkably clear but they only had an arial view. "There were no cameras on the roof." Bruce mentioned before Clark could ask.

"It's how J'onn described. Any idea how she got here?"

"I was going to show this to Zatanna and see if she can tell us anything."

"We need to get Sakura some clothes, maybe take her down to earth in the next few days to get her settled in." At Bruce's narrowed eyes, Clark continued. "We can't just keep her in the Watchtower."

"Better here where we can keep a close eye on her than down there where she can potentially cause damage and hurt people."

Clark scoffed. "I doubt she'll do that. She doesn't trust us. We need to show her a good faith effort in order to gain her trust."

Bruce pondered the words before relenting. "We'll go to a controlled setting. Nothing too big or crowded and see how she does."

Knowing that was the only leeway Clark was going to get, he accepted the terms.

"Did she give you any more information?" Bruce asked, turning in his seat to look at Clark.

"She's very tight lipped." Clark wasn't about to tell Bruce she'd thought he was weak. Still, he couldn't keep the small smile off his face at the thought of Batman taking offense.

"Hmm."

* * *

The next day, Sakura was feeling more rested. She had been thinking of what sort of jutsu had been used on her when she had the idea to try to summon Katsuyu. A summons was able to move through space and time. Sakura hoped that the technique would bring Katsuyu to her and allow her to send a message to Konoha that she was alive.

This had been the only idea she could come up with that didn't involve these people. Nervous, Sakura brought her thumb to her lips and bit into it hard enough to draw blood.

"Here goes nothing." Sakura called up a fair amount of chakra and performed the hand signs.

Nothing happened. She tried two more times, each with more chakra but still nothing.

She ran a frustrated hand through her hair, saddened by the loss of her headband. At first, Sakura had thought they had taken it when they took her weapons but she didn't recall having it when she fell into this world. It must have fallen when the attack hit her.

A knock on her door distracted her from the failure of summoning Katsuyu and the loss of her Konoha headband. Getting up from the bed, she walked the few short feet to the door and opened it to see Superman standing outside. He smiled at her, causing her stomach to flip. He was oddly disarming. It helped that he brought her more clothes. Taking them graciously, Sakura thanked him.

He was about to speak when he paused, a frown appearing on his handsome face. "You're bleeding." She expected him to be looking at her finger but instead he was looking at her lips. She touched her bottom lip and felt the dried blood there.

"I was…trying to get a message home." She began. "It didn't work." The small wound on her thumb had already closed and Sakura saw no need to heal it with chakra. Superman gave her a sympathetic look before brightening up again as she wiped the stain on her skin.

"I wanted to see if you were doing okay, and see if you've had lunch yet." Sakura smiled politely at him.

She was dressed in her usual attire and had been thinking of heading out to lunch soon. "I haven't eaten yet."

At his invitation, Sakura stepped out of her room and the pair walked to the cafe in comfortable silence.

They passed a few people who gave her curious looks but were more at ease with Superman next to her. She could tell that they respected him and he seemed comfortable drawing attention away from her.

It was then that Sakura decided to give them the benefit of the doubt. She didn't fully understand their world but she wouldn't fight them or be stubborn about trusting them. She would still place Konoha's safety above her own but she wouldn't burn any bridges with the people here either.

They were almost to the cafeteria when Sakura asked, "will I be meeting your leader?"

Superman gave her an amused smile. "We don't have a single leader. We're an organization of heroes who have their own cities and ways of doing their jobs. We do have a council of founders who oversee things and coordinate with the others in major events." Sakura considered the information.

They didn't have anyone like a Hokage and it seemed they were structured more like the council of elders. She was in the process of wondering who the founders were when Superman continued. "You've already met a few of them. Batman, Green Lantern, J'onn, and I are founders. There are three others who you'll probably meet soon."

She found Superman to be incredibly perceptive to the point where Sakura was worried he was able to read her mind.

Eating together was awkward at first, Sakura still felt uncomfortable being judged by the other people in the cafeteria. The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end and she had goosebumps on her arms at being watched. But she didn't feel any killing intent which was a small mercy. Still, she sat proudly and tried not to let the scrutiny make her nervous or flustered. She couldn't show weakness.

Sakura had been struggling to think of a topic when she sensed someone approach them a second before a blur of red appeared. The man gave Superman a slight head nod in greeting then turned to her with a charming smile. His helmet-like mask covered the top half of his face but she could tell he was fairly handsome and had a somewhat boyish charm.

"I'm the Flash." He began, sitting down next to her with his tray piled high with an assortment of food.

She gave him a genuine smile as he made her meal less awkward. He reminded her of Naruto.

"Sakura." As Flash joined their table, the atmosphere lightened up a bit and Sakura was able to relax. He began eating, not as obscenely as she thought he would as he started with a burger.

"Hope Supes isn't boring you. He can be a bit of a stick in the mud." Flash remarked between bites. From the corner of her eye, she saw Superman frown.

Sakura chuckled. "He isn't. He's been very helpful."

Flash nodded. "I could show you around Central City some time." Sakura had no idea where that was but she was open to anything at this point. There was only so much she could do twiddling her thumbs and already, Sakura longed for some foliage and fresh air.

"I'd like that." Flash smiled and she grew more comfortable as he started eating his second burger. "If I'm unable to find my way back home. I'd like to find a permanent place to stay."

"Central's great. I'm sure we'd be able to find you a place and a job." Flash looked to Superman. "Right?" Sakura also eagerly looked to the man.

"We don't need to find her a place yet." Her hopeful expression faded. "We have a few ideas on where to start looking for a solution. Besides, there are other cities she might feel more comfortable living in."

* * *

Like Metropolis, Clark thought. Barry's appearance had eased some of the tension in Sakura's shoulders but his presence was causing Clark distress. Her emerald eyes had softened as she watched Barry eat and it caused something to stir within Clark.

Suddenly, he wanted to tell the speedster to get lost and had never felt such animosity towards a teammate before. Shaking himself out of it, Clark began eating his meal.

Bruce would be talking to Zatanna today and while Clark didn't want to give Sakura any false hope, he'd wanted to broach the subject of finding a home for her cautiously.

He was listening to Barry ask about Sakura's hair and abilities when his attention was diverted to the other side of the tower. Clark had trained his hearing to pick up key words while in the station and something was wrong.

J'onn had just called in Batman to the medical bay. Though Clark didn't just want to leave Sakura there, he caught Barry's eye and the two men shared a look.

"Excuse me. I'll be right back." Getting up, Clark tried not to cause alarm as he left the cafeteria to meet J'onn and Bruce at the medical bay. When he arrived, it was to see the two men outside one of the the private rooms. He had been able to hear their conversation as he approached them. But had only been able to glean that it was a serious injury.

"What happened?" He asked, as he entered the observation room. On the other side of the glass was Richard Grayson in a hospital bed, hooked to fluids and a monitor. The younger man was unconscious and sweating profusely from what Clark could see.

Bruce didn't appear to be forthcoming so J'onn answered him. "He's been poisoned. It's not a compound I recognize but it's eating through him rapidly."

"How long has he been like this?"

There was a short pause. "Thirty minutes." There were no other words needed. The three men understood that Dick wouldn't survive much longer if there was no antidote.

"I'm going to Bludhaven." Bruce all but growled as he left the room. Neither men could stop him nor did they have the heart to.

"Is…is there really nothing you can do?" Clark asked, looking through the window at the young hero struggling for his life.

"I'll start working on an antidote immediately." Clark could only nod.

"I'll inform the others." Clark stated as he too left the room. He left J'onn to his work with a heavy heart.

He should have gone straight to the deck to send the messages out but his feet took him to the cafeteria. Clark had been zoned out when he felt a gentle hand on his shoulder.

When his eyes came into focus, he saw pink hair and Sakura's concerned expression. He had only made it past the entrance when he had been stopped.

"Is something wrong?" Her voice was calming and tentative, as though she wasn't sure she should ask such a question.

Clark opened his mouth to tell her everything was fine but the words caught in his throat. He never liked lying and he didn't want to lie to Sakura when he had been attempting to gain her trust.

Barry was still seated but he had paused to look at them, as did most other people in the room. They all looked to him as a leader. He couldn't just break down here. There was still hope. Bruce could find clues to who had created the poison and J'onn could make an antidote for Richard.

"Someone returned injured from a mission."

If he thought he was going to get soothing, sympathetic words from Sakura, he was wrong. She instantly grew serious and her expression hardened.

"Take me to them," she demanded.

Clark blinked.

"What?"

"Don't be stupid. J'onn probably told you I was a medic in my world. Well, I am the best. I can't guarantee I can heal the injury but I can damn well try." Clark was still a bit stunned to respond. "Take me to them or I'll find them myself." He looked to Barry who only shrugged as if to say she was his problem. Sakura took his hand and pushed past the doors to escape prying eyes.

"Look, this will help me gain your trust and by letting me heal one of your team members, it'll help me trust you too."

Clark nodded. What was there to lose when Dick was dying as they spoke? "Alright, follow me." He heard Sakura let out a sigh of relief as she fell into step beside him. When they entered the observation room, they saw J'onn was taking blood samples from a still unresponsive Nightwing. Sakura set to work almost immediately, pushing past Clark to enter the medical room and speak to J'onn.

"What happened?" She asked, as her hands began to glow green. Clark would have been alarmed if it hadn't been for J'onn's neutral expression telling him it was normal. Clark watched from the doorway as Sakura placed her hands on Dick's chest.

"Nightwing has been poisoned by a toxin I'm not certain of. I was about to run some more blood tests."

Sakura's face was hidden from Clark but he could almost hear the concentration in her voice.

"It's in his lungs. Breathing will become difficult for him in a few hours." Clark heard her heart skip a beat. "If he lasts that long."

Sakura moved around the room, taking stock of what was available to her before tying her hair back with a rubber band she found atop one of the cabinets. Then, throwing Clark into another loop, she took charge.

"Superman, I need a bowl, an empty bucket, a bucket of clean water, and some fresh towels." She left no room for argument or questions as she turned back to her patient. He heard J'onn's voice in his head next.

 _I believe she can do more for Nightwing than I can right now._

Intent on retrieving what she requested, Clark left the room hoping that J'onn was right.

* * *

Once the two men were out of the room, Sakura took a steadying breath. "Alright, stay with me." Sakura was grateful her healing chakra seemed to work on him. She lowered his fever a little and was able to heal some of the bruising he had from previous fights. She normally wouldn't have used her chakra to deal with minor injuries but she had to make sure she could use her chakra on him the same way she could use it on those in her world.

His lungs were already scarred from the effects of the poison and it was advancing through his blood stream to his other vital organs. The hard part would be extracting it. She wasn't sure she could extract all of the poison but she could slow its effects and hopefully give them enough time to synthesize a cure. It seemed J'onn would take care of that portion. Right now, her job was to give them enough time to do so.

When Superman returned with what she'd asked for, she motioned for him to place them on the table next to her. "I'm going to need you to hold him down if he tries to struggle." At Superman's reluctance, she continued. "Extracting poison from a person's body is a lengthy process and it could cause some discomfort."

"Have you done this before?" Sakura nodded.

"It took an hour but he survived." Superman moved to the other side of the bed.

Taking another deep breath, she used a chakra blade to cut away his shirt. The black bird on his chest reminded her of a crow, in turn reminding her of Itachi. Making a small incision on his chest, Sakura used her chakra to gather some water.

"Here we go." Sakura pushed the water into the cut and it worried her a little when the man didn't struggle as she was used to. Suspecting he was in more danger than she'd originally thought, Sakura tried to hurry the process along. Wanting to be thorough, she started from his lungs, where most of the poison was.

It took eight rounds but she had been able to extract the poison from both lungs. Next was his heart. Needing more clean water, Sakura assured Superman she would be fine to do the procedure alone long enough for him to bring some more.

As soon as the water had touched Nightwing's heart however, he tensed and flailed his arms. A wayward fist struck her in the face but Sakura held her concentration. When Superman returned, she was nearly dripping in sweat and a bruise had formed on her cheek. He immediately set down the bucket he was holding and held her patient down with firm hands. Breathing heavily, Sakura wiped the sweat off her brow with her arm and released her seal for more chakra.

Systematically, Sakura cleared each of his vital organs before closing the incision. Sakura then sent some healing chakra to his lungs to reverse some of the damage and open up his airways to make breathing easier for him.

"I flushed the poison from his body. But he can still feel some of the effects. Hopefully J'onn will be able to create an antidote." Her words were slurred and her eyes grew half lidded.

"Sakura?"

"His life is no longer in danger." Pale hands gripped the edge of the table to keep herself from falling over.

"You overexerted yourself."

She half smiled. "I always do. I can't bear to lose a patient." When she teetered again, Superman was by her side. A hand on her back and the other on her shoulder kept her steady.

There was a muffled cough and both of their eyes landed on the man currently waking up.

"I think I got hit by a truck and then a bigger truck." He said with a groan. Sakura's breathing became labored. She was on the verge of passing out.

"Glad you're feeling better." Her voice trailed off as she deactivated her seal then promptly lost consciousness from exhaustion.

* * *

Clark lifted the pink haired woman into his arms, noting the bruise darkening her left cheek and the sweat on her brow. Richard began sitting up groggily and groaned, "what happened?" He cleared his throat then gestured to the woman in Clark's arms, "and who is that?"

"You were poisoned by Ivy. This is Sakura, she healed you." Clark gestured to the call button near the bed as best as he could. "Mind calling J'onn? He's been working on an antidote."

A minute later, J'onn appeared with a relieved expression. "I see it worked." Clark nodded.

"There could still be traces of the poison in his system." Clark looked down at the unconscious woman in his arms and felt as though she belonged there. "Sakura passed out shortly after she finished extracting some of the poison. She did say Nightwing's life is no longer in danger but we could still need an antidote."

J'onn nodded in understanding and took out a vial from one of the cabinets. "I'll take another blood sample."

"How close are you to making an antidote?" Clark inquired, curious.

"I would not have been able to create an antidote before Nightwing died." Dick let out a half chuckle.

"Guess I owe her my life." He murmured as he took a proper look at Sakura.

When J'onn was finished taking blood, he pointed to the bucket of murky water in the room. "Is that the poison?"

Clark nodded, "Sakura used a technique of hers with water to draw the poison out."

J'onn stepped over to a different cabinet for a bottle and took a sample of the poison. "I'll get back to work and call Batman to let him know he's regained consciousness."

"For now, you're on bedrest for obvious reasons." J'onn and Clark both sent hard looks to Richard who simply sighed then made himself comfortable, seeing no way to argue.

The two men left the room to talk about the woman still in Clark's arms.

"Her powers of healing are truly remarkable." J'onn noted.

Clark nodded. "Healing him took a lot out of her." Concerned, he asked J'onn, "are there any side effects to her own health? You mentioned she uses a form of life energy."

"She should be weak for a day or two. I don't believe there are any long term side effects of her abilities."

As Clark made his way to Sakura's temporary quarters, he took note of how much he enjoyed her presence. She felt…right.

Important.

Familiar.

And when he placed her on the bed with the utmost gentleness, Clark wanted nothing more than to join her. He felt empty without her in his embrace.

Forcing himself to walk away, Clark absently touched the soul mark on his pectoral hidden under his suit. He would be taking advantage of her situation if he tried anything, he told himself.

He shouldn't be thinking of Sakura in such ways. There was someone for him in this universe.

Even as he attempted to convince himself of that fact, a part of his brain whispered, 'Sakura is in this universe'.


	6. BruceSakura: Shrimp

**Bruce/Sakura - Shinobi Themes Challeng** **e #7: Shrimp**

 **Alex: Leap of Faith will have a third chapter. I'm still working on it but it's giving me some trouble.**

 **Musicmiss: I was writing this chapter when I got your review. So I hope it's Bat fam enough for now.**

* * *

Bruce entered his house through the batcave, tired and in need of a shower. He half expected Sakura to be waiting for him at the monitors and was a bit disappointed when he didn't immediately see her. They had been talking over the coms at the beginning of the night and she mentioned having a surprise for him. However, she disappeared and Alfred took her place at around three in the morning.

It was understandable that she would be too tired to stay up. Even if she tried to get odd hours at the hospital so they would see more of each other, she would be too tired to stay up until the pre-dawn hours to watch her boyfriend arrive home in a bat costume. He exited the batmobile and greeted Alfred who stood like a statue next to the car door.

"Welcome home, master Bruce." He accepted a glass of water with a quiet thanks and took deep gulps before placing the nearly empty cup back onto the silver tray his caretaker carried.

"Is she asleep?" Bruce asked as he lazily unclipped parts of his bat suit to Alfred's waiting gloved hands.

"No, sir." The answer made him thoughtful at her uncharacteristic absence but continued undressing.

"I believe she is taking a bath." The statement itself wasn't noteworthy but the dry, sarcastic tone of Alfred's voice made him pause a little as he put on a loose t-shirt and sweats.

Bruce nodded and turned towards the stairs, intent on taking a shower himself and getting a few hours of sleep before going to work.

"Thanks Alfred. Good night."

Bruce had been halfway up the stairs when Alfred's cryptic words stopped him. "Master Bruce, perhaps you should be more explicit in your words to avoid any miscommunication."

"Alfred?"

Instead of providing more information, Alfred merely said, "good night, sir."

He made his way to his room slowly and couldn't help but speculate on the mystery Sakura and Alfred presented him.

"I'm not hurting you. It's okay. Shhhh. Good boy." The muffled sound of her voice drifting into the hallway put him on edge. He opened the door but didn't see her in the bedroom. Following the sound of flowing water, Bruce walked to the adjacent bathroom where a faint whimpering could also be heard. Bruce pushed the half-open door to see Sakura crouched in the tub with her clothes on but nearly soaking wet. Her normally light beige shorts had splotches of dark brown and his oversized white undershirt was translucent as it clung to her skin.

In the tub in front of her was a tiny dark mass of wet fur and distressed brown eyes.

She turned immediately when she heard the door and smiled. "Bruce, you're back."

The puppy currently being subjected to the torture of a bath let out pitiful yelps as Sakura held his back under a gentle spray of water.

"You...got a dog?" His rhetorical question was ignored and Bruce watched as she finished rinsing the small creature. Sakura leaned up to turn the shower off, while the dog shook hard enough that it stumbled a bit, nearly falling on its face before making a valiant effort to escape from the tub. Its small claws scratched at the side as it scampered around for a way out before attempting to climb into Sakura's lap.

She picked up the small animal with a nearby towel and bundled him up before carefully stepping out onto a bathmat.

"Alfred and I named him Ebi." She said, bringing the pup up and presenting it to Bruce. "He's a German Shepherd mix."

Feeling a headache coming, he frowned a bit.

"You didn't think to talk to me about it first?" His question came out snappier than he'd intended but the point was still valid.

Her excitement waned as she said, "I mentioned it to you a few weeks ago and you agreed." His frown deepened.

"When?"

"At the park. I pointed to a dog and told you I wanted one." She set Ebi down and began firmly drying him to more yips and struggles as he fought to get away from the towel. "You said you were on board." She continued as she placed the towel into the hamper and the dog shook once again, its ears flopping wildly.

"I thought..." Bruce trailed off. He remembered that day well but apparently it was for entirely different reasons.

Sakura's face slowly fell, becoming a mask as she realized the same thing he did and Alfred's words were beginning to make sense. Leaving the small puppy to rub its face along the bath mat then zip around the bathroom, Sakura stood and approached him with shimmering eyes. He vaguely heard the dog make his escape into the bedroom as though afraid he would be subjected to another shower.

"Did...did you think I meant I wanted a baby?"

His heart was hammering in his chest, wondering if he read her feelings completely wrong. Was she not as committed? Did she still think this was a casual thing? Maybe he had seen what he had wanted to see and hadn't been paying enough attention. Bruce crossed his arms in front of him as his mind raced through the events of that day. He'd been too preoccupied to listen to her fully but he swore Sakura had said baby.

"You pointed at a baby, Sakura. And you said you wanted one." He said instead, trying to defend himself and protect his heart.

She surprised him by going to her toes and wrapping her arms around his neck. He felt the damp shirt on his arms and slowly uncrossed them. Sakura inched closer and drew him down for a heated kiss, assuaging most of his sudden insecurities. Bruce's hands fell to her waist as he returned the kiss with the same fervor, wondering what he had done correctly to illicit such a response from her.

"You thought I wanted a baby and you said yes." She said, laughter in her voice before she rewarded him with another kiss. Hope bloomed as he realized she hadn't shot down the idea of having kids.

* * *

 _He had been fielding calls from the office for most of their brunch date. Bruce would have simply silenced his phone but he had been neglecting his duties and promised the board that he would be making more of an effort._

 _He was viewing an email on his phone when Sakura mentioned something being so adorable, she desperately wanted one. He had glanced towards where she had been pointing and saw a young woman pushing a stroller with a collie walking obediently next to it. The baby, a boy, judging by the blue onesie it wore was looking around, curiously reaching for things with his plump fingers. The dog sported a red cape reminiscent of Krypto, Superman's dog as it casually kept pace next to the stroller._

 _Bruce had been speechless for a moment as Sakura looked up at him with beseeching green eyes. She was in an airy sun dress with h_ _er hands around his arm and the expression on her features made it difficult for him to reject her immediately. Bruce stammered out a, "let's talk about it" before the shrill sound of his phone ringing forced him to go off the path in order to answer it. The call was a mercy as he didn't have a chance to see her disappointment._

 _Half listening to Lucius explain why the shipment of steel for the batarangs had been delayed, Bruce watched as Sakura walked up to the mother and began to chat. He had been struck by how joyous she looked and how radiant she was in the sunlight with her shoulder length pink hair._

 _It made him feel_ _guilty._

 _Sakura was vibrant and youthful, capable of having any man she chose and she was currently spending her time with him. He knew his lack of actual commitment and inability to voice his emotions had to be tiring for her. Alfred had scolded him on numerous occasions at his lack of warmth during phone conversations with Sakura and warned that if he wasn't careful, she would saunter away with someone who didn't have the emotional range of a prawn._

 _What had started as a casual fling between two League members and a convenient excuse for Bruce Wayne, Casanova of Gotham to begin avoiding clubs and high profile parties had turned much more serious within the last six months. They were no longer going on dates to keep pretenses for the Gotham press and rumors amongst the Justice League surrounding their relationship weren't as dismissive as more evidence kept mounting that Batman and Pink Blossom were actually a couple._

 _They were living together for God's sake and he would be content to keep things as they were because anything more was terrifying to him._

 _By the time he hung up the phone and returned to Sakura, she was asking questions about the cooing toddler with avid interest._

 _She thanked the mother and gave cheerful farewells to the baby and dog before they resumed their stroll. She took his hand immediately, reflexively reaching for him. As soon as their fingers intertwined comfortably, slotting together in practiced ease, Bruce knew he was done for._

 _It scared him that he could imagine Sakura as the mother of his child. She had been the gleaming bright light in his otherwise somber life and the past few weeks had flowed like a dream. Alfred had even hinted at the notion of matrimony more than once and very pointedly mentioned a Wayne engagement ring in a safety deposit box at the Gotham National Bank down the street from Wayne Enterprises._

 _Bruce stopped abruptly, causing her to do the same then look towards him in confusion. "Do...you truly want one?"_

 _"Of course."_

 _"Now? With me?" He asked for clarification his second question came out with some hesitance._

 _Sakura gave him a brilliant smile, nodding enthusiastically. "They take work but they're so cute not to want one. I think we can handle it."_

 _He acquiesced and kissed the top of her head, willing to give her anything she asked for._

 _He would swallow down his fears and do this right._

 _Bruce thought about the exchange_ constantly _and was more distracted than having the Joker on the loose._

 _When he told Alfred, his old companion thanked the Lord and looked up to send praises for Bruce finally coming to his senses. Bruce would have been affronted had he not been terrified at the prospect of marriage. But at 36 years of age and Sakura by his side, he could do it._

* * *

 **Note: Ebi means Shrimp. Also wanted to point out the passive** **aggressive sass of Alfred in naming the dog Ebi after saying Bruce had the emotional range of a shrimp. Because I imagine Sakura coming home with a dog and Alfred's just like...uh...and she says that Bruce agreed, recalling the above scene. And Alfred mentally face palms and calls Bruce a plonker before suggesting the name.**


	7. LokiSakura: Fiesta

**Loki/Sakura - Shinobi Themes Challenge #36: Fiesta**

 **As promised, this chapter is rated M.**

* * *

Someone had the audacity to enter his room without knocking. The soft click had been enough to draw his attention from his book but the annoyed reprimand he had been about to spout at the rudeness of the sudden interruption refused to exit his mouth when he noticed who it was.

She was devastatingly beautiful.

Pink hair plaited in intricate braids, wearing a red and white dress that had been made for Asgardian royalty, she looked like a queen. The gold plate across her waist accentuated her figure, labeling her a warrior, and the borrowed jewels that adorned her looked like they were crafted with her in mind.

Haruno Sakura, the Rokudaime's most trusted adviser and diplomatic envoy for further Konoha-Asgard relations.

"Thor said you weren't planning on showing up to the banquet." She mentioned quietly as she shut the door behind her.

Loki straightened unconsciously on his lounge chair, setting aside the weathered, old book he had been reading. He recovered swiftly enough but her small smile told him she knew he had been admiring her.

He inwardly frowned at that. Did she think he would enjoy a party that would result in her departure? That he wanted to take part in the merriment that would see her off?

What a joke.

Sakura glided over to him gracefully and he couldn't help but be bemused at how much she'd adapted to life in court. She looked like a proper lady, further belying her massive strength and combat skills.

He was entranced under her heady spell as she caressed his collar and stood above him between his parted legs.

"I'll only be gone a month. Two at the most." She assured him sweetly, running her hands over his shoulders and chest.

Loki gave her a noncommittal sound as he leaned back and rested his arms across the back of the couch, portrait of disinterest.

"Are you cross with me?" He pointedly avoided eye contact as he looked towards the door, as though he would see Thor peeking through a crack. It wasn't coincidental that his brother would say something to her. Their feelings for each other had been the worst kept secret at court and Thor was known to take an interest in making his brother flustered and uncomfortable.

Even Frigga had commented on their love affair. His mother had broached the subject cautiously, no doubt wondering if this was just a passing fancy or something more serious.

He had mentioned Sakura's shorter life span, that compared to his life, hers would seem like a heartbeat. It _couldn't_ be more than frivolity.

The thought had hurt and Loki tried to cover it with a snide remark on Sakura's birth. She wasn't worthy for him.

Frigga had seen through it in an instant and encouraged his feelings for the woman in front of him. No doubt the push had been for some sentimental or romanticized notion.

Sakura's delicate hand came up to cup his cheek, drawing him from his thoughts. It smelled like lavender. Loki couldn't help but glance at her, curious to know what sort of expression she wore.

She surprised him by smiling, her emerald eyes filled with mirth at his expense. "Will you miss me?"

A ridiculous question.

If her life span was a heartbeat to him, a month was nothing.

"Yes." He said instead, unable to bring himself to lie to her.

Maybe he could procure a Golden Apple of Idunn to increase her life span, make her as immortal as him.

Or a spell to tie his life force with hers.

But Odin would never allow it.

Even though Sakura wasn't technically a Midgardian, she was close enough. Odin would think it unbecoming of a Prince of Asgard to fornicate with such an insignificant species.

"I'll miss you too." She promised earnestly.

It felt too tender. A part of him relished it.

"It vexes me that you wear this color." He remarked, changing the subject. Red was a symbol of Thor's. It annoyed him that she favored it. It had been one reason why he disregarded her at first, another reason had been her utterly ridiculous hair.

"Do you know how hard it is to find a color that doesn't clash with pink? I've been wearing red out of necessity." She joked.

Loki huffed, still put-off by the fact that she looked like Thor's consort rather than his.

"Do you not find me attractive in this dress?" She teased, as she went down to her knees in front of him. Anyone would think she was being submissive if not for the challenging fire in her eyes. "Your mother specifically lent it to me and the matching jewelry. It would be rude to change."

Loki conjured a dark green dress with black and white inlays and held it out to her.

"You would have me look like a tree?" With a sigh, Loki went through the other possible colors he could bring forth and crossed out each one. Blue and white were traditionally for the Valkyrie. Yellow, his mother's. Orange would be out of the question. Purple, Sakura had mentioned was the preferred color of her best friend.

But besides that, Loki wished to see her in his colors. Conjuring a brighter off shoulder green dress with gold inlays, he presented it to her. Sakura ran her hand over the material, finding it not only tangible but silky.

She stood as she carefully took the straps and held the dress in front of her.

"What would you have me wear, my prince?" Sakura inquired. But she was really asking whether he wanted to make such a statement to the court and his parents. Whether he was ready to stake a claim to her.

"I would prefer you wear nothing." He stated, stripping her of the metal plate around her waist. She made a sound of protest only when he tossed it to the side with a muffled thump.

"Oh, yes. Fandral would love that." She teased breathlessly as she watched him strip her of the formal Asgardian dress.

"You encourage him too much." He remarked as he considered simply shredding the clothes. There were far too many layers and he was growing impatient.

"I do not." Sakura said, affronted.

"You have not hurled him across Asgard. It is encouragement enough for a skirt chaser such as he." Loki said as the material finally pooled at her feet. He nearly ran a hand down his mouth when he saw she wore no undergarments. Was it her plan to seduce him or had she planned on attending a banquet in such a state.

Her back arched as a flush appeared on her skin when he cupped a breast, bringing the pearl to a hard peak with his thumb. "Then why haven't you poisoned him?"

"Because he's harmless." Loki brought his other hand up to her neglected breast submitting it to the same torture and widened his legs.

"And I doubt he could bring you as much pleasure as I can."

Sakura huffed.

"Arrogant." Her accusatory tone only brought a smirk to his lips before he took a straining peak into his mouth. There was a soft gasp above him as Sakura's fingers weaved into his shoulder length hair.

He tongued the peak then sucked hard before drawing back. She mewled at the loss, pulling at the back of his head for more. "You spend too much time in my bed to have a tryst with any others." He stood, bringing her legs up to wrap around his waist and carried her to his bed. He could already feel how wet she was through his trousers.

The minx _had_ planned on seducing him.

Depositing her onto his plush mattress, he watched her bounce with avid interest and a delicate braid came undone at his rough treatment. "And I must be doing something right if I can have the proud Haruno Sakura begging for me." His voice went into falsetto as he mimicked her. "Oh god. Loki, ugh. Please, my prince."

Her fiery anger while completely naked only served to arouse him further. "I don't sound like that!"

"You're right of course. I'm afraid I don't do begging well." He undressed quickly with nimble fingers while Sakura kicked off her heels and made herself comfortable by pushing the excess pillows to the side.

* * *

Sakura watched with keen eyes as Loki undressed at the foot of the bed. She would have been embarrassed at being so exposed were it not for the fact that he had seen her naked more times than she could count. It was difficult to imagine that she had once loathed to be near him.

He had been too proud. Too haughty to concern himself with her although she had gotten along well with Thor and the warriors three. At first, she had spent her days acclimating to the culture and people of Asgard but eventually, her desire to learn more about history and the nine realms led her to the library.

Sakura had been the one to invade Loki's space and although they hardly spoke to each other, she began to take a greater interest in him. His interactions with Thor and Odin were especially telling and she learned Loki acted prideful to mask his own feelings of inadequacy in the face of his brother.

Loki possessed a softer strength, more nuanced and intricate than the brash physical strength both Thor and Odin possessed. Sakura found herself softening towards him and approached him to find out more about the mysticism and technology. Her sudden interest surprised him but Loki warily agreed, unable to deny a political ambassador.

The feel of Loki's hands suddenly on her ankles pulled her out of her thoughts as he tugged her down and parted her legs. A sharp cry escaped her when fabric wrapped around her wrists and tied them down on either side of her head. The bonds seemed to weave into the sheets themselves and Sakura could see that they had a silvery glow.

"Loki, what are you doing?" She asked a bit nervously as he settled between her thighs and lifted the lower half of her body to prop her up with a pillow. Soon, she found a similar restraining sensation on her ankles. Sakura tested the ties on her wrists and was unable to move them at all. The restraints neither chaffed nor yielded to her strength.

"You seemed so disbelieving, my lady." He grinned at her and a jolt went down her spine at the mischievous glint in his blue-green eyes. "I have to defend myself." The warning bells in her head began sounding off.

"Wait, Loki." He ignored her and entered a finger into her core with little preamble and Sakura bit her lip to keep herself from crying out at the sudden slick intrusion. Loki withdrew slowly then began a rhythm that created lewd sounds as her arousal aided the motion. She whimpered when he began drawing languid circles on the bundle of nerves above her entrance with his thumb, adding to the sensations wracking her small form.

"We're going to be late for dinner." She protested again, appealing to his sense of obligation as their host. Loki merely pressed his lips to the inside of her thighs and nipped at the flesh there, causing her to moan softly in the back of her throat.

"Shhhh. I'm convincing you that only I can leave you a trembling, aching, wanton mess as you beg for sweet release." He withdrew his finger only to add a second, stretching her already quivering walls.

She knew that tone. Loki would not relent until he won and she was unwilling to look at his smug expression for the entire banquet.

Her own sense of pride rose to the fore and the thought of actually begging or claiming that he brought her more pleasure than any other, even if true, was unthinkable. She couldn't give in. If she gave him an inch, he would take a mile.

So Sakura pressed her lips together and shot him the most challenging look she could muster while in her position. When Loki simply smirked at her, she sensed she had already lost in some way.

She was right.

* * *

Her back was arched as her thighs shook from the need to rub together. A film of perspiration coated her as she was denied her release for the third time. Harsh breaths left her as she came down from the precipice of pleasure. The only thing that kept her from sobbing out a plea was the fact that Loki was almost as affected as she was. His damp forehead pressed against her abdomen as he fought to control his own urges and his fingers, wet from her juices dug deep bruises into her thighs.

Once he was sure she calmed, Loki returned to tongue her slick passage as he entered her with three fingers.

She couldn't do this anymore.

"I...hate you." Sakura's voice was hoarse but Loki looked up, his fingers still moving within her.

"What was that, my lady?"

She made the most valiant effort to glare and he punished her continued stubbornness by curing his fingers.

He crawled up to peck wet, open mouthed kisses over her neglected breasts. Another torturous sensation.

"Please, Loki." Her mouth opened and closed, not sure what it was he wanted her to say. "Please, my prince. I need-" His fingers quickened and the words left her in a rush. "My god, Please, please, please, please." She clenched around his fingers as the coil wrapped tight in her belly.

She was so close. Sakura would have done anything if it meant finally being able to fall.

And she damned him in all nine realms when he stopped.

"NO!" Frustrated tears left her closed eyes and she felt his tongue lick them away.

Bastard!

He tapped at her folds causing little tremors to go up her spine, keeping her taut.

"Ughnnn." The back of her head dipped into the bed as she desperately strained against her bounds.

Eyes shut tightly, Sakura panted against his lips.

"You're beautiful." Her green eyes glimmering with tears snapped open at the compliment and met his tender gaze. "I think I've made my point quite well, don't you?" He settled in the cradle of her thighs, pressing his erection at her dripping core.

Sakura nodded immediately and hissed at the contact. "Yes."

Loki released her ankles and Sakura wrapped her legs around his waist, pulling him closer to her heat. "I know your body better than any other." His statement was casual but she barely heard him because he was stretching and filling her in the most delicious way.

"Yes!" Sakura rolled her lips urgently while Loki pulled the pillow from under her and threw it across the room before stilling her hips. Her inner walls rippled as he continued slowly pushing into her.

"And who do you belong to, my lady?"

She was so lost, Sakura couldn't even register his words until he filled her completely. He waited patiently for her to regain control of her senses and answer him.

"You. Loki," Her mind rambled, trying to think of all of his titles. "Prince of Asgard." Even when she bucked her hips, he still wouldn't move. "Odinson. God of mischief."

The satisfied smirk would haunt her for days.

The moment her wrists were freed, Sakura flipped them and braced herself with both hands on his lean chest. Her pace was fast and brutal as Sakura chased the pleasure Loki denied her. Telling herself she would get her revenge at a different time, Sakura didn't cease until she reached her peak with a cry of his name. She would have bonelessly collapsed atop him if Loki hadn't turned them again. Their lips met messily as moans, panting, and groans filled the room.

White dotted her vision as Sakura came so hard she feared losing consciousness. Loki joined her, spilling his seed into her inviting passage as he let out a deep groan against her neck before marking it with his teeth and lips.

There was no way in Hel she would make the banquet in time, much less get up for a shower.

Loki rolled to the side and tugged her into his arms. For once, she was thankful Loki tended to run a bit colder because she felt too hot for her own skin. Lazily pressing a kiss over his heart, Sakura sighed and closed her eyes, too tired to do anything else.

"I love you." She murmured, before succumbing to sleep.

* * *

Needing some time away from the raucous crowd of Asgardians and shinobi, Sakura stepped outside onto the veranda overlooking the gardens.

She heard muted yells and cheers as Thor defeated Choji in an arm wrestling contest. The Prince of Asgard then loudly challenged Naruto to another roar of laughter and cheers from the rowdy crowd. A bemused smile graced her lips as she leaned against the railing, enjoying the cool night air away from the packed body heat inside the grand dinning hall and reception room. It was late and most of the proper ladies and gentlemen had retired for the night, leaving the rambunctious partygoers left with endless sake and Asgardian brew.

Loki hadn't attended. At least not in person. The illusion of him was convincing enough if not for the fact that he hadn't eaten and took great pains not to be touched.

With a heavy sigh, Sakura was relieved she could actually hear her own thoughts and noted the colorful rows of blooming flowers below and the meticulously maintained hedges.

This was Kakashi's crowning achievement, something he would be remembered for long after he was replaced as Hokage.

The relationship between Konoha and Asgard had been spotty at best in the beginning as neither world knew the other existed. But after more than a year of negotiations and meetings, they had come to a peaceful arrangement. Asgard would make sure Konoha would be hidden from other realms and Konoha would provide warriors and assistance when needed for a discounted fee. Thankfully, Odin had grown tired of war and conquest and they were able to come to a peaceful resolution. Both sides had been content to form a mutually beneficial partnership establishing autonomy and reciprocation.

She would be leaving to aid Naruto in his transition to Hokage and watch his inauguration. After that, Sakura would have to convince Naruto to let her return to Asgard as a permanent diplomat. There was a very low chance he would allow that to happen.

This place had become a second home to her but it was never meant to be permanent. She had duties and obligations in Konoha. The only reason why she even got this job was because Tsunade was picking up the slack at the hospital and Sakura was a strategic offering of good will. As the apprentice to the Fifth, the student of the Sixth, and the best friend of the would-be Seventh, Sakura was well positioned to be a respectful choice. But now that a treaty had been passed, she wasn't needed here.

Sakura knew she would have to go back home eventually and had known that fact when she started sleeping with Loki.

What moron tells a man she loves him when she's certain to leave? She wanted to smack her face against the railing. Telling herself she could recover and mend a broken heart in a month, Sakura looked up at the bright sky and smiled sadly. Her head fell forward and Sakura rubbed the back of her neck, recalling how he hadn't been there when she'd awoken sore and dejected in his bed.

"Lady Sakura!" The roar of her name drew her from her thoughts and she turned to see Thor gesturing wildly for her to come back inside. All eyes were on her, making her feel self conscious, hoping they hadn't seen her moment of vulnerability.

"Sakura-chan! You're our last hope!" Naruto's exuberant yell had her lips quirking in amusement as she took confident strides back into the fray to deafening cheers.

She was okay.

She would be okay.

* * *

 **Whew. Please review! It's my first time actually posting smut.**


	8. SteveSakura: Training Pt1

**Steve/Sakura - Shinobi Themes Challeng** **e #37: Training**

 **Guest: I had a theme for Nightwing/Sakura that I'll get on soon. Thank you for the request! I had the pair much further down the line.**

 **Kilau & Alex: The last chapter definitely could have been a full story if I let it go wild. I might have a sequel theme but no promises yet. Because as some of you may have noticed, I didn't specify which dress Sakura wore at the end. **

**Diamondluver: I have another theme in mind for Jason which I didn't intend to be smutty but I'll see what I can do.**

* * *

Steve was throwing fists at a punching bag when Sakura entered the otherwise empty gym at SHIELD.

From a quick glance, he could see that she had come for him specifically. Steve caught the swinging bag with a hand and brought it to a quick stop before turning to her.

She was wearing a black suit similar to Romanoff's but with red accents to provide some contrast.

"It looks good on you." He complimented conversationally.

She looked down at herself as a light blush appeared on her cheeks. "Thanks. I'm still not used to it. I wanted something a bit brighter but apparently SHIELD has a strict dress code of doom and gloom." He chuckled at her obvious displeasure although he agreed with her assessment. His own uniform had turned to a darker blue and the red and white stripes had been removed, not that he had particularly minded. He only wore the suit when on missions and was currently in SHIELD work out apparel with boxing wraps around his hands.

Her eyes shifted from him to the bag then back again. "Director Fury mentioned you needed a sparring partner."

"Uh."

Steve didn't know exactly what to say to the sudden request. From watching her fight against the Chitauri during the Battle of New York, he knew she was enhanced and a highly capable fighter. She had been instrumental during the fight and was quickly scooped up by SHIELD after the battle, then vetted and interrogated, before being inducted as a new member of the Avengers Initiative as a combat medic. He knew she mostly employed hand-to-hand and the occasional throwing knife or similar projectiles.

Her file indicated she was stranded in their world from a different dimension. It wasn't any crazier than Thor's origin and everyone had learned to simply roll with it.

However, Sakura was also a third of his size and it had been ingrained into him to never harm a woman. There also hadn't been much occasion to spar with anyone, let alone a woman after the serum.

Steve watched Sakura enter the caged octagon in the middle of the room, leaving the door open for him expectantly.

Still apprehensive about the entire thing, Steve entered the ring slowly, wondering if Fury really sent her.

"I'll bet you twenty dollars you won't be able to land a single hit on me." Sakura challenged.

Steve closed the cage door behind him and her confidence eased some of his nervousness. Trusting Fury and Sakura, Steve watched Sakura take out her gloves and slide them on.

"You're on."

After ten minutes, Steve was beginning to think he was going to lose the bet. While he hadn't been giving his all, it was very clear he was on the ropes and would lose their sparring session if he didn't do something. Sakura was agile, quick, and stronger than he had anticipated. It didn't help that his previous combat experience consisted of shooting a gun, throwing a shield, and just punching Nazis and aliens. He knew the basics but hadn't been trained in any specific martial arts styles before being frozen.

Sakura knew how to make up for her obvious disadvantages by consistently using his weight against him while dodging every punch he threw at her. It reminded him of Romanoff's fights with less twirls and grappling. Sakura was also well versed in martial arts and seemed to predict his moves perfectly. She was fluid and graceful, dodging, spinning, and redirecting his movements with minimal effort.

Another five minutes and Steve decided he could fight a bit harder. As if sensing the change, Sakura smiled and adapted almost instantly. Her punches began to sting and he became aware that she too had been holding back.

Then she threw him for another loop when she caught his fist with her smaller hand. His eyes widened in shock and Steve left himself open for a harsh kick to his ribs which sent him crashing into the cage. He leaned against it heavily but found his footing.

A normal man would have broken a few ribs.

Okay, She was highly enhanced.

Perhaps even on par with him.

At that thought, Steve threw the metaphorical gloves off.

Sakura offered him a hand back into the middle of the ring which Steve gratefully took. They'd both yet to break a sweat. and if she could handle it, then he would push her.

They continued training and by the end of the hour, Sakura had won twenty dollars and Steve found himself a new training partner.

When he'd landed his first hit on her during their second session, Steve heard the air knock out of her in a whoosh before she flew back and hit the mat hard. His spinning back kick had hit her square in the chest.

Steve had immediately apologized and rushed to help her. Guilt and shame coursed through him and he had been ready to call a medic when Sakura coughed once and sat up with a cheerful smile.

He had been ready to apologize again when Sakura dismissed his concerns and held up her hand for him. Steve pulled her up.

"It's a good thing we didn't bet on it this time."

It had left him stunned.

After that, the two found time to train every other day. It became one of the things Steve looked forward to as he picked up more modern fighting styles and began to push his body to further limits.

There was little need for instruction in the traditional sense and the pair spent most of the time sparring. Steve learned most of what he needed to by simply watching her moves and incorporating them into his own fighting style. Sakura meanwhile benefited from fighting someone who could keep pace with her.

He felt more like his old self and appreciated that he didn't have to worry about his size or strength. After being the guy women were afraid to step on and then becoming a guy who could accidentally crush a woman, Steve was never able to relax or feel comfortable around them. His size felt too awkward, he worried about being too imposing or clumsy and he was constantly self conscious when he wasn't fighting.

After watching Sakura take a kick from him with no injuries, a weight lifted off his shoulders. She didn't assume things of him and didn't put him on some lofty pedestal as "Captain America." She didn't cower from his size or strength and acted perfectly natural around him.

He actually preferred being with the Avengers over secret agents but with Tony busy, Bruce unwilling, Clint on missions, and Thor in Asgard, it left him with SHIELD.

Though he had previously gone on missions with STRIKE teams, Steve wouldn't really consider them his friends or anywhere close to the Howling Commandos. Being with SHIELD in a time of peace was foreign to him. People looked to him as an authority figure when Steve still felt a bit lost in this time. The doe-eyed look some agents often gave him almost made him prefer when he was just a scrawny boy from Brooklyn if only to avoid the attention.

WWII had given him a purpose, a clear direction in life, and a clear enemy to fight against. But now, it felt as though the world left him behind or at least should have left him behind.

He had no idea what to do during a war of counter-terrorism and espionage without a front line to march down. Moreover, he didn't know what he would be if not a fighter. Steve was lost in perpetual uncertainty and had no direction at SHIELD. In short, he was having an existential crisis but felt obligated to stay in SHIELD to honor Peggy and try to find his way.

He suspected his dissatisfaction with his position had been part of the reason why Fury had appointed Sakura to be his training partner. Being able to let out some of his frustrations with someone who could push him made him feel...alive. He felt the improvements and it gave him something to strive for. It was a small goal but it was something.

Although they trained together nearly every day when not on missions, Sakura didn't stick around after their sessions and Steve hadn't learned anything new about her. One thing he did know was that Romanoff was helping her learn more about the world and acclimate to life here. While Steve at least had background cultural, historical, and geographical knowledge to build upon, Sakura worked from the ground up.

Steve and Romanoff had been at a cafe, chatting casually over coffee when he tried to ask her about Sakura as casually as possible. Unfortunately for him, Natasha had caught on in an instant and he knew he would not enjoy the teasing glint in her eyes.

"I'm touched you've come to me for help with your girl troubles." Steve crossed his arms in front of him as Nat took a smug sip of her coffee, watching the change in his body language with knowing eyes.

"That isn't why I asked. She's on the team and we've been sparring together but I don't really know anything about her." He insisted.

"Don't worry, Cap. I won't tell anyone you're trying to slide into Haruno's DM's." He had no idea what that meant and made a mental note to look it up. "After all, you wouldn't be the first one to want a touch of spring in their life." Steve mentally groaned, berating himself for even mentioning this to Romanoff.

"Forget I asked." He said sourly.

"No, no. I'm sorry. I'll stop." She amended, still laughing at his expense. "She's sweet. A bit innocent if you ask me." Steve listened but so far Romanoff offered no new information.

"She's been going to the public library. Spends hours reading medical text books." That, he hadn't known. But it did explain where she disappeared to every day.

"You two could bond over all the things you _don't_ know." Steve merely sighed at her teasing. But she had a point. If there was anyone who could relate to what Sakura was going through, it would be him.

"Why don't you ask her to coffee?" Natasha suggested before ruining it with a, "it's been a while since you've dated. Start small."

* * *

After their next morning training session, he somewhat awkwardly asked Sakura if she'd wanted to get coffee. She seemed taken aback at the sudden invitation but agreed.

Once they were seated at a small table for two in the corner by the window, Sakura smiled and nursed her cup between her hands.

"How are you liking things at SHIELD so far?" Steve asked, feeling a bit flustered.

"They're very friendly for the most part. Agent Romanoff has been sending me shows and movies to watch but it's a bit overwhelming."

The two ended up discussing the different cultural references they had to become accustomed to and had begun compiling a list of the most important events in history and pop culture. Although the subject hadn't been particularly personal, Steve felt he was able to get a better understanding of her preferences and willingness to make a place for herself in this world.

"Could I ask you something, Captain?"

Steve held his hands out in front of him and chuckled. "You don't have to keep calling me that. Just Steve is fine." Sakura returned his smile, some of the tension leaving her small shoulders and nodded.

"I was just wondering if you ever miss your old life." She looked down at her cup, obviously wondering if he was suffering from the same uncertainty as her.

"Sometimes. Mostly I wonder what could have been if I had made it back." Steve thought of Peggy and what could have been. Learning that she eventually married and had children had been bittersweet but he was glad she moved on to find happiness. If anyone deserved happiness, it was Peggy.

Steve reached out and took Sakura's hand, prompting her to look at him. "It's natural to look back. But I think it's important to also look forward. Do what you can with what you're given and keep fighting the good fight." She took a deep, fortifying breath and smiled shyly at the vulnerability she'd shown him.

"Everything's so different and new here but at the same time, much the same." Steve retracted his hand and gave her a questioning look. "People go about their lives and if we do our job right, they never know how close they came to suffering."

He considered her words for a moment and realized she carried far too much weight for someone so young. She'd seen war, experienced heartache, and held so much empathy towards others. The people in this world should mean nothing to her, yet Sakura decided to help them and refused to turn a blind eye. Steve couldn't help but respect her for her determination and emotional strength.

"Could I ask you something too?"

"Of course."

"In your world." Steve paused, thinking of how to word his question without offending her. "Were you given the opportunity not to fight. I mean, if you wanted to. Could you have...just been a doctor or-"

"There are-were powerful families with generations of talented, great, shinobi. My parents never made it past the lowest level and I always thought I wouldn't either. But I always wanted to be a shinobi and to be useful to the village." Sakura ran her fingers through her pink bangs, brushing them to the side although they fell right back into place. "If it wasn't for my team, I wouldn't be as strong as I am now. Being the weak link made me want to be stronger. To catch up to them."

"You became strong because you are strong." Steve argued. Sakura's eyes widened on him. "You worked hard to get to where you are."

The blush that appeared on her cheeks and the warm smile she gave him made his heart skip a beat. Steve couldn't help but mentally congratulate himself on saying something right for once. But they were words he meant and sincerely believed.

Steve stayed up that night sketching her in the hopes that he could figure her out somehow if he tried to capture her essence on paper. But without colors to depict her vibrant pink hair or shimmering emerald eyes, Steve found he couldn't do her justice.

* * *

Sakura had been with Clint on a mission when all hell broke loose at SHIELD. Natasha got a message out to Clint that things were getting dicey and to get to DC as soon as possible. From halfway across the world, it had taken them half a day to complete the mission, then two days to find transportation without being intercepted by SHIELD agents.

By the time they arrived in DC, Fury had been gravely injured, believed to be dead by the rest of the world and SHIELD had been forced to disband. She could only imagine what they all felt when it was revealed Hydra infiltrated every part of SHIELD.

From her talk with Natasha, Sakura knew it had been a rough few days and things would no longer be the same without SHIELD's official involvement in the Avengers.

The first thing Sakura did when she returned was heal Fury.

Once she learned Steve was in the hospital, she made her way there immediately.

Natasha and Maria were busy with Fury trying to organize the remaining SHIELD members and to salvage what was left. They'd also discovered Hydra had taken Loki's scepter and were working to locate it before Hydra could learn how to use it. She should be out there helping them but wanted to make sure Steve was okay.

When she arrived, jazz music was playing softly, covering up the beeping of various machines, and there was already someone else in the room. The man got up immediately and offered her a hand as he introduced himself.

"Sam Wilson." Having never seen him before in SHIELD, Sakura was a bit wary but took his hand nonetheless. If he was here, it meant Maria and Natasha thought he was trustworthy enough.

"Sakura Haruno."

"Agent Romanoff mentioned you'd be stopping by." She nodded and turned her attention to Steve's unconscious form on the bed, wondering why Nat hadn't mentioned him. Then again, the agent currently had a lot on her plate and it was possible it slipped her mind.

"How is he?" Sakura asked as she approached the cot. Steve had a busted lip and one eye was completely swollen shut. Someone definitely did a number on his face and Sakura also noted he lacked any major defensive bruising on his arms.

"Resting. The doctors say the serum should heal him completely within a few hours."

Placing a glowing hand on Steve's chest, Sakura assessed his internal injuries, and realized he also sported a knife would to his right shoulder, some internal bruising, and a cracked rib. If Sam was surprised her hands glowed green, he didn't show it. Unable to help herself, Sakura healed Steve's injuries and only relaxed once she was done.

"You must be Steve's training partner." Sakura retracted her hand, as though burned and looked up at Sam's amused expression.

Steve talked about her?

"I have an appointment at Veteran's Affairs. Do you mind watching over him until I get back?"

"Um." She really should help Natasha and Clint. Sakura only wanted to see for herself that he was okay.

"It should only be an hour or two." Sam promised and gave her a slightly pleading look. "I'm already late."

"Yes, ah. Of course." Sam's smile threw her a little and he collected his things. The music stopped and Sam left before she could ask him anything else. It was only after he left that Sakura realized she should have asked him if he had any injuries. She had just been too worried about Steve and with Sam's hasty departure, he hadn't given her the opportunity.

She wondered what Steve had said about her. Knowing that if she went down that rabbit hole, she would drive herself crazy, Sakura looked around the room for something else to occupy her mind.

Steve's shield was propped against the table next to his bed. The paint had chipped and there were scorch marks but it was otherwise unmarred. Sakura also noticed his personal effects had been placed on the table. There wasn't much, just his ruined Captain America uniform, the earpiece, and an aged metal disk. Thinking it was a watch, Sakura opened it to see if it was still functional after being in the water. Instead she found a compass. The needle wobbled before settling north, pointing to a black and white picture of a woman. It was a newspaper clipping, presumably from 70 years ago judging by the woman's hairstyle. She was beautiful, dressed in a military uniform of some kind.

Inexplicably, Sakura was...disheartened. Disappointed for no reason other than what could only be jealousy.

Feeling like she had invaded his privacy, Sakura placed the compass with the other items and took the seat Sam had vacated.

The sheer symbolism of having a picture there...

The most annoying thing was that she had no right to be jealous. They were simply training together.

Even if a part of her saw a kindred spirit in Steve, it didn't mean anything.

His earnest blue eyes which reminded her of Naruto made her feel nothing.

She didn't care about Steve Rogers.

Sakura clenched her fists and stood up.

Honestly, this was all Natasha's fault.

Sakura had only started thinking of Steve in a romantic way because Nat had planted the seed by pointing out how similar the two of them were. How they could be the first Avengers power couple, how they suited each other. Of course Sakura had dismissed the notion at first but after a few weeks of training together, sharing the occasional meal and getting to know one another, Sakura realized that she felt a connection to him. They could understand one another without words and had learned to fight in sync, complementing each other's strengths. They had confided in each other things about their past lives that they hadn't mentioned to others.

She enjoyed that he had an incredibly sarcastic and dry sense of humor whenever he pointed out the ridiculous things in pop culture or the world. He was selfless, compassionate, humble, and determined. Sakura could see he worried about not being able to do anything other than work as an Avenger, as a soldier. He didn't want to be a puppet and he didn't think he was deserving of praise because his strength came from the serum.

But the strength of the Ichibi wasn't what made Suna choose Gaara as their Kazekage. The same went for Naruto and the people of Konoha. Steve was a genuine, good man who strove to do good with what he was given like Gaara and Naruto.

* * *

Steve woke to the smell of antiseptic and immediately knew he was in a sterile environment. The bed was uncomfortable and the sheets were a bit harsh but he'd experienced much worse.

Without so much as a groan, he'd come to and took in his surroundings. His second thought was of Bucky as he wondered how he would find his friend. The lights were dimmed but there was still sunlight coming in from the window to his left. By the tint, he guessed it was either sunset or sunrise. Nothing felt broken or even bruised, letting him know that the serum had healed the wounds he sustained.

When he looked to his left, Steve was surprised to find Sakura by the window. He could vaguely see her reflection in the glass and noted her shoulders were tense.

"Hey," Steve called out tentatively, his voice hoarse from non-use.

Sakura snapped out of her thoughts and turned towards him, expression blank.

"How are you feeling?" She asked, leaving the window to stand at his bedside.

He cleared his throat and moved to a sitting position against the plastic headrest. "Like I crashed a giant plane into the Potomac." She half smiled at his attempt at a joke.

"It was incredibly reckless."

"Seemed like a good idea at the time."

"I suppose it's better than jumping down from the fourteenth floor with nothing but a shield." Sakura said dryly.

Steve chuckled, figuring she would hear something about that.

There was a somewhat awkward silence before Sakura filled the empty space. "Sam had to go to the VA for a bit. Nat and Maria are trying to save what's left of SHIELD and Fury decided it was best to stay low for a while." She said, explaining why she was the one in his hospital room in a roundabout way.

"I'm glad you're here. Last time I was in a plane crash, I woke up 70 years later." He chuckled softly as he picked up on the oddly charged atmosphere.

"I could be a hologram." Sakura said teasingly as she took a slow turn around with her arms slightly away from her body. At that, Steve had the urge to reach out to make sure she was real. Or perhaps it was because he could tell there was something different about the way she was interacting with him. There was a distance to the way she spoke and he sensed something was wrong.

"Don't think technology could do you justice." The words escaped his lips before he could stop them or think about what he was saying. Sakura blushed but a subtle frown creased her brow and Steve mentally berated himself for making her uncomfortable at his light hearted attempt to make things less awkward.

"I'll go let the others know you're up." She said softly. Sakura reached out as if to grab his arm reassuringly but paused and walked out without another word or glance, closing the door behind her.

With a sigh, Steve ran a hand through his hair in frustration. Romanoff's interest in his love life had made him painfully aware of his feelings for Sakura and he wasn't exactly smooth with women. Romanoff was incredibly perceptive and constantly brought the subject up either to annoy him or embarrass him. Her continuous needling had given him hope that Sakura might feel the same way but now, he wasn't so sure. Sakura was retreating, distancing herself emotionally and he didn't know what had changed.

* * *

 **This one gave me a lot of trouble because I just love Steve Rogers too much not to go into what makes him a great character. I really intended this chapter to be much shorter but it just ballooned into this. Not sure if this will have a sequel though.**


	9. PeterSakura: Flirt

**Peter/Sakura - Shinobi Themes Challeng** **e #30: Flirt**

* * *

Peter poked his head into the expansive New Avenger's Facility with nervous excitement. There was no one in the lobby which was odd but the front door had been unlocked. It wasn't the first time he had been there but it was the first time he would be there as a full fledged Avenger. He had been about to step into the building when someone politely cleared their throat behind him.

Startled, he let go of the door, causing it to close onto his shoulder. Mentally berating himself, Peter opened the door again and turned, letting it close behind him as he faced the person who managed to sneak up on him over his spidey senses.

He was met by possibly the most important Avenger for his age group. Not only was she _the_ quintessential role model for girls everywhere, she was widely regarded as the ideal girlfriend for the boys. He barely kept from openly gaping at her. She was dressed in her traditional red top and black shorts but what struck him was how beautiful she was in person. Her pink hair was incredibly vibrant in the light, something cameras normally overlooked when she fought and her green eyes weren't just pale green like most, hers were like emeralds.

"Hi, you must be Peter. I'm Sakura." She said with a friendly smile as she held out her hand expectantly. "I've heard a lot about you." Peter's mind short circuited until he couldn't tell her his birthday if she'd asked.

Though she was a head shorter than him, Sakura held herself with confidence.

Pink Blossom knew about him. Recognized him. Still in an awed stupor, Peter shook her hand, noting that she didn't have her gloves on and her hand was incredibly smooth.

 _Say something._

"Hi. Yeah. I'm Peet. Peeker. I mean, I'm Peter Parker." He stammered awkwardly in a voice too high pitched to be his natural tenor.

 _You blew it, you idiot._

To his infinite embarrassment, Sakura giggled.

"You're cute." There was affection in her voice which lessened the blow but his cheeks grew red at the reminder that he was a bumbling kid. She was only two years older than he was but had more life experience and held herself like an adult. Meanwhile, Peter still felt like he was playing dress up as a super hero even with the Spiderman suit Tony Stark had given him.

"Pinky! You're late!" There was a yell from above and the pair looked up to see Tony leaning down from a balcony three floors up. Peter was about to apologize for holding her up but when he saw the sheepish smile on Sakura's features, the words caught in his throat and his heart rate sky rocketed. She had freckles.

"Sorry! Be there in a sec!" Sakura yelled back at Tony before her focus shifted back to him. "Well, welcome to the team. I hope we get along well." With a final smile, Sakura walked into the building.

A bit glad he didn't get a chance to say anything to further embarrass himself, Peter smacked himself on the head.

"Hey! Peeker, don't get any ideas." His head whipped back up to see Tony's sly grin.

Peter was stammering out a denial when Tony cut him off.

"Rule one, no inter-office romance. Now get up here and keep your teenage hormones in check."

"Yes, Mr. Stark!"

"Stupid, stupid, stupid." Peter muttered to himself as he hastened into the building and made his way to the elevators. There was going to be a video of this event circulating around to the rest of the Avengers. He just knew it.

* * *

After a day, Tony, Happy, Rhodey, and Clint had taken to calling him Peeker. After four days, even Vision had called him that much to his dismay.

It was expected of Tony, Happy, and Rhodey as the three were close and had similar humor.

Clint had taken Peter by surprise during lunch when the older man slid into the seat beside him almost conspiratorially.

Peter sat up straight immediately and didn't know if he should bow or salute.

"At ease, Peeker." Hanging his head, Peter visibly deflated and pushed around the tomatoes in his salad with his plastic fork.

"Does everyone know?" He asked, dreading the answer.

"You mean, does everyone know you have a giant crush on Sakura, or does everyone know you made a complete fool of yourself in front of Sakura the moment you met her?"

"I-I don't have a crush on Sakura!" His outburst only caused Clint to raise a skeptical brow.

"Riiight." He said sarcastically. "That's a shame. Sakura told me you're her type."

"Wait. Really?" Peter stood up abruptly, bringing more attention to himself.

"No." His excitement shot dead, Peter sat back down and sighed for falling for such an obvious joke.

Of course. Sakura probably had a thing for Quicksilver, like most girls in their age group. He didn't know what was so great about Pietro. Maybe it was the accent. Or maybe it was the thrill associated with being fast. But teenage girls swooned when the silver haired man appeared on the scene.

"It was both by the way. Everyone knows you made a fool of yourself in front of your crush."

He sighed again, wondering why his life was always like this.

"Hey. Cheer up. Sakura did say you were cute." Clint chimed as he tossed a fry into his mouth.

"Yeah, but she meant it in a 'you're so adorable, like a little puppy' type of way." He grumbled, pushing his plate away, having lost his appetite.

"Mm." Clint took a bite of his sandwich and didn't dispute Peter's words, only making him feel worse. "You and Cap should go to a meeting on How to Talk to Girls 101."

There was a short silence before Clint took pity on him. "Just be yourself. But more confident." He made it sound so simple.

"It's just...she's so pretty and mature, and I don't know what to say." His voice dropped down to a hushed whisper in case someone overheard.

"Just tell her that. You think she's pretty, the two of you should get dinner one day, get married, have a bunch of super babies, and save the world Incredibles style." Not taking half his words seriously, Peter leaned back in his chair and stiffened when he saw a small, feminine hand steal a fry from Clint's plate. His eyes drifted upwards and his cheeks immediately heated.

Clint gave out a distressed 'hey!' which fell on deaf ears.

"Who're we talking about?" Sakura inquired as she looked from Clint to Peter then back again in innocent curiosity.

"Parker and his crush." Clint mumbled with his mouth full. He was grateful Clint had the decency not to use the nickname in front of Sakura.

But her all too easy smile as she nodded in understanding made him just as uncomfortable.

"Bring her by some time. All this should impress her." Sakura suggested motioning vaguely to the Avenger's building. Everyone who didn't know he was Spiderman simply thought he was interning here so it wouldn't be a problem.

"She...uh, has a crush on Quicksilver." He fibbed, cringing inwardly.

Sakura smiled, then took a step closer to him while Clint shifted away to prevent any more fries from being stolen.

"Bad boy phase. It all passes," Sakura assured him as she patted his shoulder in a consoling manner. "Eventually girls wise up and go for the cute, nice, smart guy." With that, she left the table and sauntered away.

There was a beat of silence as it slowly dawned on him that Sakura had just called him cute, nice, _and_ smart. She also just implied she didn't have any sort of romantic feelings for Quicksilver.

Clint cleared his throat and Peter faced the deadpan expression the man was giving him. "You really are bad at this Peeker."

He shot him an inquiring look, prompting Clint to say, "should've just gone for it."

* * *

The next time he faced Sakura, Peter was resolved to do everything in his power to redeem himself.

Unfortunately for him, the next time he saw her was when she arrived at his school as a guest speaker. It was supposed to have been Wanda but she had to drop out due to last minute scheduling conflicts. He tried his best to keep himself from being seen by her but in a mandatory class assembly in a gym of five hundred students when Sakura knew he was attending this school made it was difficult to be remain unseen.

Especially when both Ned and Flash Thompson made it their missions to inform the entire school he was an intern and knew Sakura personally.

While his friend was good intentioned, trying to gain some credence with their peers, Flash's goal was to embarrass him in front of everyone.

Seated in a middle row on the right, he hoped to go unnoticed.

However, Sakura picked him out of the crowd almost immediately while the principle made the morning announcements. Her shy wave in his direction caused more than a few heads to whip towards him in varying states of shock, awe, and envy.

Peter wanted nothing more than for the bleachers to swallow him whole at the attention. Awkwardly, he slowly raised his hand in a halfhearted wave as the principle made the grand introduction and Sakura walked to the microphone.

In the middle of her speech, Ned tilted his body to whisper, "she's so cool. I can't believe you actually got to talk to her."

Peter leaned to the side and also lowered his voice. "She called me cute."

Ned drew back to look at him properly in astonishment.

"She meant it in a 'you're like a puppy' type of way." Peter admitted, dispelling any notion that something could be going on between them.

"Dude-" Ned was cut off from a voice interjecting from the row above them.

"Hey Parker, do you think you could get an autograph?"

"No, Jordan." Peter hissed.

"Come on, I'll give you fifty bucks."

Peter turned his head to decline his classmate more firmly. "No."

The Q&A section came up and Sakura answered them enthusiastically, clearly liking the discourse and interest in the Avengers.

The world once again was out for him when he heard someone ask about internship opportunities.

"Well, I believe we're not taking any more interns. It's an extremely lengthy process as you can imagine, and it's a highly sought after position." Peter felt eyes on him, making him feel extremely self conscious. He tried to sink down but had no where to go unless he somehow acquired the power to melt into the floor.

"Are you dating Quicksilver?" Someone from the left asked.

Sakura chuckled and her eyes drifted to him before she answered the question. "I'm not dating anyone." Sakura said, dismissing the line of questioning before pointing to another raised hand.

"What's Spiderman like?" A voice called out. As the newest Avenger and one of the few who wore a mask, many were curious as to how he got along with the other Avengers and wanted to know about his secret identity. The curiosity was often the subject of gossip throughout the school as people theorized whether Spiderman could command spiders or looked like one beneath the mask. More than a few people approached him to ask questions.

Her tone grew a bit thoughtful as Sakura chose her words. "I think he's a good person who tries his best with everything. After training and a few years, he might be the best hero we ever see." Peter desperately fought the blush rising to his cheeks.

Eyes wide, he saw Sakura glance over at him. When she noticed his expression, he could see the smallest quirk of her lips. His mind was still racing when Ned's successive pats on his shoulder to get his attention drew him from his thoughts.

"Peter." Ned hissed in repressed excitement.

"I heard her."

"Maybe you have a shot."

"She's just being nice." He didn't want to hope. He had it blow up in his face too many times for Peter to actually hope. Peter didn't want to make a fool of himself.

A muted notification tone rang out and Sakura excused herself to check her phone.

"Unfortunately, I'm being called for an emergency. Thank you for having me and for your interest in the Avengers. Uh...stay in school."

There was a round of applause and the principle took the stand again as Sakura waved at the crowd and speed walked out of the building.

Emergency? What kind of emergency? Did she need his help? Peter couldn't just leave the assembly now, it would draw too much attention to himself.

Why didn't she give him some kind of signal? Peter stood and awkwardly pushed himself through the bleachers, apologizing as he stepped on toes and bumped against knees. When he rushed to the door, he was stopped by one of the English teachers.

"Have somewhere to be?"

"Uh...yeah. Bathroom."

Mr. Myer gave him a highly skeptical look but asked, "is it urgent?" Peter nodded and Mr. Myer reluctantly gestured to the door with a tilt of his head.

"Thank you."

Peter half sprinted to where he caught a glimpse of pink. His shoes thudded on the linoleum as Peter ran through a hallway lined with lockers. Sakura turned around to watch him come up to her.

"What's going on?"

Sakura hid her phone from view, turning off the screen and placing it back into her pocket.

"Vision found a hidden Hydra base in Mexico. We're flying out in an hour."

"Let me just grab my suit and I can come with you." Her apologetic expression put a damper on his mood and he knew what she was going to say before she opened her mouth.

"I'm sorry, Peter. But...Tony thinks it'll be better for you to stay in New York." She placed a hand on his arm reassuringly. "Hold down the fort."

Peter nodded slowly, more than a little dejected.

"Hey, when I come back, I'll tell you all about it over some pizza." She offered with a smile. His heart skipped a beat. "And you can tell me what it was like to be the only hero protecting New York for a few days."

 _Say something you idiot._

"Uh. Um. Yeah, if you want to. I mean, of course you want to, you offered." Heat flooded his cheeks as Sakura's amused smile flustered him even further.

"Don't get into too much trouble while we're gone." She said warmly before leaning up and placing a kiss on his already red cheek.

Brain short circuiting, Peter could only gape as Sakura gave him one last smile and walked away. His trembling fingers came up to touch the place she had kissed as he stared at her retreating back.

Did...Sakura just ask him out on a date?

Wha-Peter looked around wildly, wondering if Tony or Clint were going to come out with a "gotcha." But he was alone in the corridor. His heart still thundering in his chest, Peter did a spin and silently whooped.

* * *

 **The last week has been absolute Hell for me. Three all nighters in a row for school = no energy to write. After much feedback on the Steve/Sakura, I will come up with a part two.**

 **Thank you for your reviews!**


	10. MattSakura: Cathedral

**Matt/Sakura - Shinobi Themes Challeng** **e #22: Cathedral**

 **Honestly, I don't know how many of you watch Daredevil and no one suggested Matt but I couldn't resist. The theme just fit sooooo well and the show is amazing.**

 **Don't worry, no spoilers for the show.**

 **I'm not from a Catholic background so I apologize if things are incorrect.**

* * *

For the past week, someone had been following him. Matt would always perceive the person at a respectable distance from him whenever he stepped out as a masked vigilante. The first time it happened, he hadn't even noticed and assumed the sound of another person was simply from a nearby home. However, it soon became clear someone was tailing him. When he turned to their direction for a confrontation, the person disappeared without a trace.

He dismissed it as his imagination. No one could move that fast. He was just being paranoid because he recently put on a black mask.

But then the person appeared again.

And again.

Each time Matt tried to confront him, the mysterious person would simply cease to exist.

One second there would be a second heartbeat, soft breathing, and body heat. The next, there was a faint puff and then, nothing. No lingering scent, no sound of someone running, no trace that anyone had been there.

He hadn't garnered much media attention yet. Matt had mostly dealt with street thugs and the occasional arms dealer or drug trafficker. So, for the life of him, Matt had no idea why he was being stalked or who the mysterious person was.

Until the man finally made his move.

Matt had been on the ropes against five drug traffickers when his stalker dropped down behind one of the bodyguards and kicked his knee out. Having no time to consider why his stalker would help him or even question the sudden appearance, Matt continued fighting while his new friend garnered the attention of two of the men.

In a few short minutes, the thugs were unconscious. As far as he could tell, the man was composed and uninjured while Matt sported a cut to his right arm, a nasty bruise near his ribs, and a split lip.

"Who are you?" He asked gruffly as he turned to the newcomer.

There was no answer even as the person took a step forward and reached a hand out to his bleeding arm. Matt tensed but allowed the touch.

He could smell lavender and an odd scent of wax.

Balance of probability. His new friend was female. The delicate fingers on his elbow cemented the notion further even though Matt couldn't see her. There was a soft sigh before Matt noticed a shift in the air near his injured arm. His other hand came out and he gripped her wrist, unsure what she was doing. She was deceptively dainty as he knew she could hit much harder than physically possible for someone her size. She was 5'4'' and 100 pounds, there was no way she could lift a full grown man, let alone throw him six feet away into a shipping container.

The air was unnaturally warm around her hand and there was something off about her that even he couldn't define.

Her heart beat was steady and she showed no signs of concern, only patience. It was clear she wasn't going to speak to him or offer any reasoning which only served to increase his apprehension. He considered his options carefully as he wondered whether she was trustworthy. She wasn't surprised to see he covered only his eyes, and she seemed to know he was highly sensitive to sound if her silence was anything to go by.

Matt slowly released her and the heat around her hand enveloped his open wound. He felt the skin knit back together within seconds, leaving him stunned. Her hand slowly shifted to his abdomen and hovered over his bruised side. A few seconds later, it too faded and healed.

Before Matt could ask her or thank her, there was a small poof and she was gone as a scentless smoke wafted around him. Matt turned on his heels, trying to detect any sounds other than the five heartbeats at his feet. The men had also assumed she had been male during the fight which told him she had covered her face and form to appear more masculine. It was no use waiting for them to regain consciousness or try to get a description from them.

He felt the torn cloth of his shirt, could taste the copper in the air, felt the still bloody fabric and the smooth skin of his forearm.

Still confused but having more to go on than before, Matt returned home as the mystery of lavender and wax plagued his mind.

* * *

He met her again three nights later. Having deduced she would help him whenever he got in too over his head, Matt purposefully sought out an Irish mob meeting.

His gamble paid off. She entered through the window, causing shards of glass to fall on top of one of the men taking cover behind the over turned table and disarmed him before he could get a second shot off. In such close quarters and with their own men in the cross fire, no one else tried to shoot and the ten other men descended upon them with fists, knives, and wooden bats.

Once all the men were incapacitated, Matt grabbed her hand and rushed away from the devastation they'd just inflicted. There could be reinforcements coming. She followed him without complaint and before long, the pair were three blocks away in a deserted alleyway.

When they finally stopped sprinting, the woman wretched her hand out of his grip.

Matt was completely winded, battered, bleeding, and riding an adrenaline high he missed the open palmed slap that nearly caused his head to spin off his shoulders.

"You trying to get yourself killed?" She asked, seething with anger that only served to excite him further. He heard her tug the hood covering her head then take off what had to be some sort of ski mask as she faced him. Of what little he could "see," Matt knew she was beautiful with hair that would reach her back tied flat against her head to keep it from bulging out when she wore the hood.

His own half mask was still in place, covering his eyes and the upper half of his face.

"Had to get you to talk to me somehow." He caught the next attempt at a slap and pushed her into the brick wall behind her before he was forced off of her to avoid the knee to his stomach.

Matt was on the defensive as she fought her frustrations out on him and he couldn't help but appreciate how skilled she truly was. Her moves were barely telegraphed and there was no awkward or wasted movement in how she fought.

They grappled until he pinned her to the wall again, both breathing heavily. "You gonna tell me who you are?" He asked.

With no answer forthcoming, and still sensing her anger, Matt tried again. "Or why you've been following me?"

The indecision weighed on her before she answered. "I was asked to."

The grip on her wrists tightened as he demanded, "by who?"

She leaned in, bringing her lips to his covered ear. "Wouldn't you like to know...Matt." Her voice was soft, sensuous, and teasing.

Before he could ask how she knew his name, a small electrical current went through him from her wrist, shocking him enough to release her. She followed his shocked retreat and their lips met as her hands angled his head down for better access. Her smaller hands held the back of his head, pulling him in.

For a split second, he was lost in the taste of her as her tongue invaded his mouth and fought his for dominance. His senses honed into her in an instant as he returned her kiss with equal fervor.

The feel of her tongue, her lips, her taste, and the feminine body hidden beneath the men's clothing she wore. She was all spirit and fiery passion, threatening to burn him and in that moment, Matt wanted to burn with her. He missed this. This feeling of connection, of understanding. It was the closest he came since...

In the next second, she was gone.

He didn't have a name yet and she had left him with more questions than answers but he now had a voice to go with her measurements. He was sure that if he were to run into her on the street, he would be able to identify her. It was only a matter of time before he figured out who she was, who instructed her, and why she was helping him.

With his adrenaline high leaving him, Matt was painfully aware that picking a fight with the Irish mob was a suicide mission if he hadn't been sure his mystery partner would show up. He limped out of the alley glad tomorrow was a Saturday and he could recover over the weekend.

* * *

The bruise on his forehead had been easy to dismiss as an accident and Foggy didn't question it. His friend and business partner did however question his state of mind while they looked for a suitable office for their law firm.

"Matt, buddy. Where is your head today?" He asked, pulling Matt from his thoughts over their hamburgers.

"What?"

"Did she not call you back?"

"Who?" He asked, a bit perplexed.

"The paralegal. Melanie. No. M-something. You've been staring off into space."

Matt gave a dry chuckle at the blind joke. "Sorry. Yeah, Megan left a voice mail cancelling dinner." The excuse was half true as it had been Matt who cancelled but he hoped it was enough to get Foggy off his case.

"That's rough." His friend remarked sympathetically. "I guess the Murdock charm doesn't work on everyone."

"Guess not." He sighed.

"So, who's the new girl that's got you in the clouds?" Foggy asked a bit slyly before taking a bite of his burger.

"Girl?"

"I know you man. You only get pensive when you're thinking about a girl."

"I don't know her name." Matt admitted, wondering how he was going to find a plausible story. Foggy wasn't wrong, he had been thinking of his mystery friend and why she had kissed him. But more troubling, why he hadn't pushed her away.

"So, what's got you hung up on her?"

"There's just something about her." Matt shook his head. "I guess I just really liked her voice."

"Well, knowing your intuition on these things, she was probably smokin' hot."

Matt chuckled. "I wouldn't know."

"Where'd you meet her? Err-hear her?"

"The grocery store." He said, saying the first thing that came to mind. "She helped me when I was getting short changed. Nearly got into a fight over it."

"She sounds like a badass." Based on his heart rate, Matt knew Foggy bought the lie.

"Yeah."

"Why didn't you get her name or her number?"

"She was like a hurricane. It just happened too fast and then she was gone."

"Cheer up buddy. Once we get our new swanky offices, land a couple big cases, and start making a name for ourselves, we'll have women begging us to take them out to dinner." He assured before taking a healthy bite of his burger.

Foggy's enthusiasm over the prospect of money would keep the lights on but Matt wanted to do more than simply make money as a lawyer. Foggy's realistic approach to life was needed and Matt was glad his best friend agreed to forego a lucrative big law job to open their own practice in Hell's Kitchen.

"Thanks, Foggy."

"No problem, man."

* * *

Two weeks later, he went to Saint Patrick's Cathedral with the hopes of talking to Father Lantom for a confession. The distinct smell of old wood, incense, and wax greeted him, providing nostalgic comfort.

He was accommodated immediately and although he couldn't give away any specifics, being able to discuss the conflict weighing heavily within him had been cathartic. As a lawyer, he knew the legal system and understood that even criminals had rights but he also felt obligated to do something about the corruption ruining the home he loved so much. The woman tempting him was also a subject of conversation but one he couldn't reasonably bring up to Father Lantom. Matt wasn't a saint but even he knew it was dangerous to get involved with a woman he barely knew and only met through violence. Despite knowing all that, she _was_ tempting him.

He just wasn't sure whether it was the devil or the man. Her ability to heal his wounds caused him to take greater risks and knowing she would be there only once things got overwhelming caused him to seek out the most dangerous criminals. He was able to let loose, deal his brand of justice without worry of repercussions. And when they were done and she healed his cuts and bruises, she brought out the man in him with just a touch of her lips.

Matt grabbed his white cane and navigated his way out of the booth, still heavy with guilt.

He was on his way out the wide doors of the cathedral when the scent of lavender caught his attention. The person approached him steadily, heart rate steady and breathing even. As the person was about to walk past him, his free hand gripped the person's covered elbow, causing them to stop next to him. He knew the feel of this fabric and could tell their head was covered.

A veil and a religious habit.

"I-I'm sorry but would you mind helping me down the stairs?" He asked politely.

"Not at all." The feminine voice only confirmed what he already knew. She turned in her place and guided his hand to hold her other elbow.

Matt tilted his head to her ear and felt the veil brush against his cheek and lips. "You're a nun?" He asked the question with some incredulity but not enough to be rude.

"Yes," she said demurely. "Though I'm still in training." They took the first step down together. Was she not going to address their nighttime activities?

"Is beating up the Irish mob part of religious training?"

He heard the smile in the voice as she answered him. "Are you looking to become a monk?"

They took the next step down. "Will you tell me your name?"

Matt moved slowly and she accommodated his pace as he prolonged the conversation despite the few number of stairs.

After a pause, she answered. "Sakura."

Matt knew Father Lantom was still incredibly sharp despite his advanced age but even if he figured out what Matt had been doing, Matt couldn't believe a priest would instruct one of his nuns to assist a masked vigilante. The new knowledge that she was a nun only served to confuse him further and only added to her contradictions.

Soon Matt ran out of steps and was forced to release her arm.

"Thank you."

"Take care, Matt."

Without another word, Sakura turned and walked back up the stairs.

* * *

A month later, he got his answer. Sakura had taken a bullet for him, point blank, in the chest and crumpled to the ground. Matt beat the bastard still holding the gun until he was so bloody that it was a wonder the man didn't die from blood loss before the repeated blunt force trauma could do it. There was so much blood in the air, a normal person would have been able to smell it.

The rage receded enough for him to stop beating the man. Matt turned, dreading what he would find.

"Sakura, Sakura?" He scrambled to her side, his hands still sticky with a mix of his blood from his torn knuckles and the blood of the man lying half dead behind him.

Her eyes were closed and he could hear her heart slowing even as the healing warmth of her hand hovered over her chest. Her breathing was shallow and he feared she wouldn't be able to heal herself.

"Sakura, answer me. Hey." His hand found her cheek and he wiped the blood he left behind with his thumb, only smearing it across her smooth skin.

"I told you to calm down." She whispered, still struggling to stay alive. Anxiety and guilt flooded him at her words. She'd warned him numerous times that he was getting too reckless. The bullet had gone straight through but he could tell a part of her bone had shattered when the bullet entered through her chest.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry."

He heard her smile. "Oh, my beautiful idiot." He let out a nervous chuckle, hoping her humor wasn't just for his benefit and she really wasn't dying. Tense seconds ticked by and Matt heard her breathing even out as the rasp left her lungs and her heart beat grew stronger.

Letting out a sigh of relief, he hugged her close as soon as she sat up.

"I'm sorry." He murmured again near her covered ear.

Her hands came around hesitantly to return his embrace and he realized this was the most gentle touch they shared. It was compassionate and tender.

A gurgling rasp drew Matt's attention to the man dying behind him and he tensed, realizing what he'd done.

Sakura shifted and Matt's arms fell away as he wondered whether an ambulance would be able to save the thug's life. He heard Sakura stand and take small steps to the man that nearly killed her. She knelt next to him and the air around her hand grew warm once again as she healed the damage Matt had inflicted.

She...

Matt's head fell forward in shame at the thought of nearly beating a man to death. His goal had always been to incapacitate and he never went out at night with the intention of killing people no matter what atrocity they inflicted on others, Matt had a rule. He wasn't a murderer. While he didn't go out of his way to kill, Matt knew that there was a possibility the criminals could die. This was the closest he came to forming an intent to kill another human being and the line he created to separate himself with murderers had blurred until Sakura healed the man who shot her.

He felt her hand on his shoulder. "Come on. Let's get you home." Thankful for the offer and not wanting to be alone with his thoughts quite yet, Matt accepted and followed her back to his apartment.

His knuckles were still torn and the smell of her blood was nearly nauseating but he forced himself to ignore it. He should be the one comforting her from near death experience but it seemed Sakura was hell bent on making sure he was alright. With gentle hands, Sakura healed his knuckles and bruises before pushing him towards the bathroom with orders to shower and change.

The gunshot still echoed in his mind as he methodically cleaned himself of the blood, sweat, and dirt covering him. When he exited the bathroom dressed in sweats and a t-shirt, he half expected to be alone in his minimally furnished apartment.

Matt was relieved to hear her heart beat in the kitchen and smell freshly brewed tea, indicating she planned on staying a while.

"Can I use your shower?"

He nodded and heard her grab a shirt and a pair of his pants. Matt could only smile at how she made herself completely at home in a place she'd never been before.

Taking hold of the mug she left for him, Matt breathed in the calming scent of lavender before taking a sip. It warmed him up far better than the shower had and it calmed his frayed nerves.

Twenty minutes later, Sakura stepped out smelling like his soap and drying her hair with a towel.

"Why did you start helping me?" His question was soft but Matt knew by the way she halted and her heart skipped a beat that she heard him and the silent question that was there.

There was a pause as Sakura seemed to collect her thoughts while she busied her hands by hanging the towel over one of his dinning chairs.

"Father Lantom found me when I was a small child."

"Found?"

Sakura let out a small huff of laughter. "He caught me stealing. He didn't know where I came from and I...was abandoned or orphaned. I don't remember much. Just my name and some sort of martial arts training."

Sakura quietly made her way to where he was seated at his kitchen counter.

"A few years later, I developed this...ability to heal with just a touch." She brought the familiar warmth to her hands. "They glow green, the same color as my eyes." The heat flickered away and he heard her stop behind him.

Matt turned in his stool to face her and Sakura brought one of his hands up to touch her wet hair. "It's pink." She remarked to his surprise. It answered why she was a nun and why Father Lantom hadn't simply taken her to an orphanage. The veil would hide her unique coloring and avoid any awkward questions. Matt had always imagined her with different colored hair, blonde, red, or black. Without Foggy or someone else to describe her, Matt had envisioned her in a thousand different ways. But pink was impossible. Unless she meant a strawberry blonde color.

"Your confession, six months ago worried Father Lantom and he asked me to watch over you." He twisted a lock of her hair between his fingers, feeling the wetness and the density.

"And you did." He felt her nod as it shifted the hair between his fingers.

"I did." Her hand came up to caress his cheek and his eyes fluttered.

"I want to help you." She whispered. "All you had to do was ask. But not if you're on a mission to get yourself killed."

"I'm sorry." he sighed, cupping her cheek and mapping out her face with the tips of his fingers, getting a better image in his mind of what she looked like. "I'll be more careful."

"I'm looking at you skeptically." She informed him dryly.

Matt chuckled and made an "x" over his chest with his pointer finger. "I cross my heart."

He wanted to ask her not to leave, to continue helping him, to forgive him, but the words wouldn't come out.

She seemed to guess what he was thinking because Sakura kissed him deeply, tilting her head and stepping even closer to his body.

Her forehead met his before she returned to pepper his lips with short kisses every other second. "Oh, you beautiful idiot."

He chuckled against her lips and stood, kissing her again as he led her away from the kitchen to his adjacent living room. His hand slid under the shirt she wore to feel her bare back while his other hand felt around for his couch. Once safely past it, he maneuvered her to his bedroom, easily navigating the both of them through the wide doorway. Her skin was still slightly damp from her shower and warmer than she usually was.

Taking his lead, Sakura sat him down on his bed before straddling his lap. She found the edge of his shirt and drew it over his head, leaving his chest bare. Matt heard it hit the ground somewhere behind her and tugged at her thighs to bring her closer to his body. Tilting his head to the general direction her face was, Matt smiled, eyes unseeing. "I believe I'm _your_ 'beautiful idiot.'"

It satisfied him to no end to hear her breath hitch but she was hesitant, nervous.

"What's wrong?"

She brushed his wet hair away from his face before resting her hands on his shoulders. "I've never..." He could tell blood rushed to her cheeks as her heart beat thudded in his ears.

Of course. She was raised by a priest. If he wasn't the devil earlier that night, he certainly felt like one now. He'd been thinking of defiling a nun.

Matt released her thighs and leaned back, a bit ashamed he'd even considered this.

Her nails scraped the base of his scalp, tugging him back towards her. "But I want to." At her shy admission, he sought her lips with his and mapped her back with his hands. When he was sure he found every bump, memorized every sensitive nerve, he focused his attention to finding all the other spots that would elicit a response. Matt swallowed her moans, careful to move slowly in case she changed her mind. She brought out the devil in him, the part of him that wanted to exact vengeance framed as justice, the part of him that whispered a desire to corrupt her in order to keep her by his side, to take her so she would remember an imprint of him tomorrow.

"Foggy. Foggy. Foggy." His phone repeated incessantly, ringing out the person calling. His friend was probably getting drunk somewhere and either wanted company or had drunk called him for someone to talk to.

Sakura shifted, tensing at the interruption. Matt pulled his shirt off of her and pressed his lips to her heated skin.

"Ignore it." Matt demanded as he drew her attention to what he was doing with his hands and lips, causing her to relax in his arms. He licked her skin, tasting his body wash, water, and something that could only be her.

Her short, blunt nails dug into his shoulders as she shuddered. Matt drew one of her hardened nipples into his mouth, delighting in her answering gasp of surprise. Sakura was so responsive, so sensitive, he found it difficult to stop touching her.

Sakura tugged at his hair, pulling him away from his currently favorite part of her before their lips met again. She brought out the devil in him but he couldn't deny that she also made him yearn for this feeling of connection. For this touch. Sakura was the only person he could confide in completely, who understood his reasons and who supported him. She didn't find it odd he could hear her bones shift or smell blood with the same potency as a shark. Her ability to accept him and keep him grounded brought out the humanity in him and prevented him from completely going off the rails.

He needed her to keep him sane. To remind him of his faith and why he needed to go out at night. Not for revenge but to protect Hell's Kitchen from those who preyed on innocents.

* * *

 **Part three of Clark/Sakura is getting a bit long and still isn't finished. I was wondering how you'd feel about there being a part four. When I first started writing the first part, I intended the story to be at least 10 chapters.**

 **I've tried to condense what I had planned but if I cut any more, it won't make much sense.**


	11. RichardSakura: Bandage

**Richard/Sakura - Shinobi Themes Challenge #6: Bandage**

 **VerygoodBS: That pun. It hurt but also made me smile.**

 **kmeow: Unfortunately, I didn't watch Iron Fist, Luke Cage, or the Defenders. But I do have more ideas and themes for Matt.**

* * *

Sakura craned her head and hissed as the needle for her stitches pulled at her skin. Her shirt was hanging loosely around her neck, bunched in front of her chest while her arms were free. Without a bra on, Sakura was using what little she had of the shirt to protect her modesty but in this house, she had no modesty. Working and fighting in such close quarters, there was little that wasn't felt up or seen accidentally.

She was going to murder that little bat junior in his sleep. Damian Wayne was a major pain in her ass and she didn't know why Bruce had her watching the douche-nozzle while he got to go out and do Batman things.

It wasn't fair.

Her arm stretched across her chest as she contorted and strained to get a better look at her back. The cut wasn't deep enough to warrant a trip to the hospital but it hurt like hell and required at least six stitches. Sakura was bleeding all over Bruce's beige couch but she couldn't bring herself to care.

It was his demon-spawn's fault and she would apologize to Alfred.

The request to train his sadistic twerp was seriously getting on her nerves and making her feel old. The ten year old had been trained by Ra's al Ghul and he had a superiority complex that could rival his father's. The little cheater also cheated which was why she was currently pulling a muscle tending to herself.

Thankfully, the bastard hadn't gotten off scot free. Alfred was tending to the concussion and bruised ribs Sakura had inflicted. The fact that she was happy to have hurt a child was a new low for her but Bruce's shithead son was decidedly not a normal kid.

"Need a hand?" Dick's amused tone only made her angrier but she did need his help with this or she was going to either cut herself further or get an infection.

With an exasperated sigh, Sakura let go of the hook shaped needle and turned to the side, bringing her leg onto the couch so Dick could see her wound.

"Yyy-ouch. That looks like it stings." He said, a bit sympathetically as he settled himself beside her. "It's gonna scar."

She could feel him take hold of the needle and dab some of the blood away with gauze.

"Heard you knocked Damian out cold." Sakura huffed and stiffened when she felt his bare hand touch her mid back.

Telling herself he was simply holding her steady, Sakura forced herself to relax.

"The asshole deserved more." She grumbled instead as she grabbed a bloody towel and wiped some of the red from her fingers.

"Let me guess, dagger near the ankle?" Dick pulled the thread taut and Sakura felt the tug at her tender skin.

"I specifically told that twit no sharp weapons, does he listen to me? No. He's lucky I didn't break his stupid, smug face." She felt his warm breath brush against the back of her neck as he laughed.

Sakura barely repressed the shiver that ran down her spine. Even after a year, Sakura was painfully aware of Richard's proximity.

"Bruce is probably ripping him a new one anyway." He said quietly as he made another stitch.

"He should be so lucky." Sakura muttered bitterly.

She had heard Dick arrive at Wayne manor two nights ago but she hadn't been alone with him yet. As she suspected, Sakura wasn't capable of being natural around him anymore. Not since they broke up.

"Bruce is going to try a more hands-on approach." He said, a bit more solemnly. Sakura looked at him over her shoulder, wondering what expression he wore at the knowledge that Bruce found another Robin. Surprisingly, Dick didn't look too bothered. There was a tiny indent near his right brow, letting her know he was focusing. He sported a casual dark blue long sleeve shirt and he had a messy hair cut.

His thumb caressed her back and forth where he was resting his hand and Sakura wondered what that meant.

"You don't look too broken up about it." She said, turning her head froward to face the fireplace.

"Bruce needs someone out there with him."

"He could have had more people out there with him." She said. The 'but you decided to leave' went unsaid.

"I outgrew being Robin." Dick whispered as he finished the last stitch and tied it securely.

She heard a sharp snip and the sound of antiseptic being poured. With infinite care, Dick dabbed at her freshly sealed wound. She could hear crinkling and a rip as he prepared the large bandage and gently secured it to protect her stitches.

Sakura fumbled with her shirt, finding the front and pulling her arms into it gingerly while Richard cleaned up.

"Thanks." She said without looking at him. Sakura should check on the brat. He was a troubled kid but he wasn't all bad. Besides, she was slowly getting somewhere with him and getting him to trust her a little.

Sakura made a move to stand but froze at the calloused hand around her wrist. Finally forced to look at him, she met Dick's gaze for the first time since they broke up and he moved away from Gotham.

"I know you think I left you." He said. "But I wanted you to come with me, Sakura. Don't you think you've outgrown being Batgirl too?"

Sakura bit her tongue and shook his hand off. Dick let her go in consideration for her injury. "You know Bruce has trouble asking for help. You know he isn't the type to grab someone and ask them to stay." She said, a bit heatedly. Sakura owed Bruce everything and she felt obligated to stay and make sure he didn't go off the rails while on his own.

Dick nodded. "Yeah, having us here was good for him. But it wasn't good for us." Sakura shook her head in denial and stood, stifling the wince when she did so too quickly.

"Sakura." He sighed and looked at her beseechingly. "Come with me. Bludhaven's big enough for the two of us and Bruce has a new Robin. He doesn't-" Dick stopped himself, as if realizing what he'd been about to say.

"What? He doesn't need me?" Her fists were clenched at her sides.

"That isn't what I meant." Dick leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees and clasping his hands in front of him. He seemed to wrestle with his next words.

"I need you." His damned blue eyes captivated her in an instant, as they always had. "I miss you."

Her heart jumped into her throat at his fearful admission.

"I miss you, too."

His hand reached for hers slowly, giving her the opportunity to avoid the contact and leave the room. But she didn't and Dick laced his fingers along with hers.

She missed this.

Touch.

The closeness.

He brought her hand up to cup his face and Sakura crumbled when his eyes closed to savor her touch.

Because she had wanted to go with him. But she stayed for Bruce, a man who was used to a revolving door and one deeply afraid to lose people. Sakura wanted to stay for him. And now, she wanted to stay for Bruce's son. But Dick was right. She had outgrown being Batgirl and Gotham hadn't been the same after Dick left.

Her thumb brushed his high cheekbone and Dick opened his eyes to watch her.

Richard surged up and caught her off guard with his hungry kiss, sensing her weakness and her wavering resolve. He invaded her mouth, tangling their tongues, as though he had been starved for her. Sakura returned the kiss, relishing in the familiarity of it. Like he never left.

When they parted, she was breathing heavily as her body thrummed. His grip on her waist was tight as he strained not to pull her closer.

"Come with me." Dick requested in her ear before he nipped the sensitive lobe. She shivered when he did so, as she always did.

Cheater.

His lips found her neck. "Please."

Her fingers gripped his cotton shirt as she fought to stay standing.

Sakura weakly nodded and Dick rewarded her with another drugging kiss.

"After we're done here." Dick nodded in understanding as his eyes softened, and Sakura realized he had been called here for Damian at Bruce's request. Bruce really was pulling out all the stops for his jerk face of a kid.

"You should rest." Richard remarked as he placed a chaste kiss to her forehead. "Do you need painkillers?"

Sakura shook her head. "They make me loopy."

"Loopy Sakura is always funny." His smile only made her shake her head ruefully. The last time she had taken pain killers, she'd rushed around the house touching the all the statues and paintings until her world spun.

While Alfred fixed the mess she made, Dick spent an hour looking for her. In her drugged out state, Sakura played hide and seek and fell asleep in a closet believing she was going to Narnia.

Dick brushed some of her hair from her face. "I love you."

Hiding her flushed and heated face in his chest, Sakura mumbled out a response.

* * *

 **Hope you enjoyed!**


	12. ClarkSakura: Leap of Faith Pt3

**Clark/Sakura - Shinobi Themes Challenge #29: Leap of Faith pt.3**

 **A few people have requested Bucky but none of the themes really jump out at me so it's been taking a while.**

* * *

"Superman." The man of steel turned to the source, his attention diverted from the person he had been speaking with.

Batman's expression didn't give anything away even with the cowl covering most of his face but his tone did not bode well. Instantly serious, Clark nodded, then apologized to Diana before following the other man into a small conference room.

He didn't have to wait long for Bruce to begin speaking.

"J'onn told me Sakura had lost something important to her when she fell into our dimension. He asked me to make a copy in order for her to feel better and keep something that reminded her of home."

Clark nodded again, wondering where this conversation was going exactly.

Bruce sighed then brought out a folded piece of paper from his utility belt and handed it to him.

Clark unfolded it slowly, not knowing what to expect. His eyes widened when he saw the familiar swirl of his soul mark on a diagram of what was labeled a forehead protector.

"But this..." It was eerily similar to the design on his chest.

"It's your soul mark isn't it?" Clark tore his eyes away from the paper and looked at Bruce.

"It-It's similar but-wait, how do you even know what my mark looks like?"

"You doodle." The smirk was clear in his tone which caused Clark to bristle and cross his arms. He only doodled while at the Daily Planet. The implication that Bruce would watch him and keep tabs on him while he worked under his secret identity was troubling but nothing Bruce did surprised him anymore. A part of him actually admired the man's thoroughness.

"You said it was similar. How is it different?"

"It's enclosed by a branch of pink flowers." Clark could practically hear Bruce's brain work things out. Branch implicated a tree more than a bush. It meant there were only a handful of flowering pink trees.

"Like cherry blossoms?" Bruce asked.

Washington DC was known to hold a cherry blossom festival which Clark was familiar with. Lois and Jimmy had been called down to write a report on it one year when they experienced the earliest recorded peaks. Since then, cherry blossoms had become Lois' favorite flower.

Clark nodded. "I suppose." There was a pause as Clark waited for the other shoe to drop. But he didn't have to be the World's Greatest Detective to figure this out. The flowers themselves had never been much of a concern for him as the swirling symbol in the middle was something he had never seen before and was the center of his mark.

Sakura usually carried around an item that had a unique part of his soul mark and she had pink hair. Her name as well, pointed to her as the embodiment of his mark. Evidence was mounting and the only logical conclusion was that they were soulmates.

But Sakura hadn't said anything. She asked about soul marks, had admitted that she had one, but never mentioned that it could be him.

His photographic memory recalled the video of her reaction to seeing Bizarro. Sakura had materialized in the bank, with the same cloaking ability she used to evade them after her run in with Hal. Anyone who hadn't seen Bizarro would find him a monster or grotesque with his pasty complexion and drooping face. Something just was not quite "right" with Bizarro's appearance. But Sakura's eyes had been glued to the reversed Mark of El. After she had woken up in the medical bay, she had asked him about his seal. Clark assumed her interest in it was to make sure he wasn't aligned with Bizarro. Now, he realized she had been gathering information on how many people would have the symbol.

Clark turned around and had his hand on the door handle when Bruce stopped him.

"Where are you going?"

"I have to speak with her."

"Clark." Bruce's tone stopped him once again and he let go of the handle to face the other man. "If she is your soulmate, the rest of the League has a right to know."

Clark stood like a statue, impatient to get to Sakura while Bruce was thinking ten steps ahead.

"What affects you, affects the League. Add that to the fact that she'll be a targeted weak spot for you, it's going to cause problems."

He sighed, realizing he wouldn't be allowed to leave until Bruce had said his piece. "What do you suggest?"

There was no hesitation in Bruce's answer. He had already thought of this conversation and considered all the factors. "She would be safer in her own world."

Clark clenched his fists. Bruce would have him let her go. The rational side of Clark knew it was a reasonable conclusion, one that was pragmatic and logical. But it was a conclusion devoid of any emotion.

"If you were in my shoes. If your soulmate was Sakura, could you do that? Could you give up your soulmate?"

Bruce narrowed his eyes at the question. Clark knew it was because Bruce wouldn't ask someone to do something he wasn't willing to do. It wasn't the first time Clark thought that Bruce was a better man than he was.

"If something happened to her because I was selfish enough and arrogant enough to believe I could protect her, I would never be able to forgive myself. I would break every rule I had to keep her safe or avenge her. Can you say any different?"

He wanted to argue that he was strong enough to protect her, that he could do things Bruce couldn't in order to ensure her safety. But those words felt hollow. While Clark was one of the most powerful members in the League, he wasn't omniscient and he couldn't foresee the future. Clark wouldn't be able to keep her in a glass cage and he couldn't be with her for every minute of the day. It would only be a matter of time before Lex or any of the other villains found out and used her against Superman. He would have to ask Sakura to sacrifice her previous life to stay here. He would be asking her to give up everything in exchange for him. Clark wasn't so arrogant to believe he was worth such a sacrifice. He couldn't ask her to do something like that, something Bruce also knew.

"Just think about it." Bruce implored.

Offering no arguments, Clark left Bruce behind.

As he stalked down the corridor towards the teleporter, he considered Bruce's words more seriously. Clark was being asked to make a sacrifice. In part to protect Sakura but also to protect the League. He knew that Bruce worried every minute of every day that Superman would turn evil.

Batman had a contingency plan for every disaster, every catastrophe, and every betrayal. Bruce's concern wasn't for Sakura's safety but for what would happen to the rest of the world should she get injured or killed in an effort to get to him. It wasn't that far-fetched and Clark knew Sakura was an unknown element. Bruce was simply being overly cautious. But he had to talk to her and at least give her a chance to make an informed decision.

* * *

Word had gotten around that Sakura had saved Nightwing's life. Even Batman had gruffly thanked her in his own way. She knew it wasn't enough to earn his trust but it was a start.

Sakura met briefly with the other 'Founders' as Superman called them. There had been an impromptu meeting where they discussed her skills and possible theories of getting her home. So far, a few theories looked promising. It got a bit overwhelming but the warmer welcome had been appreciated. As a result, the Watchtower became a bit more bearable and it was odd to say she had gotten used to the place. Sakura enjoyed staring out into space and learning more about the technology of this world while Superman wasn't around.

Watching the news had been enlightening. The Justice League were widely regarded as heroes in many countries. Superman in particular was well loved because of what he stood for. She suspected a part of that trust and respect stemmed from the fact that he didn't wear a mask. Being able to see his face made it easier for people to identify with him. But the group as a whole was also well liked.

J'onn had showed her some of the medical equipment and helped her pass the time. There were still some things that chakra could do better but Sakura marveled at the different tools and the things she could learn about a person's physiology with the help of CT and MRI scans.

Soaking up all the new information and medical knowledge, Sakura barely thought about actually returning to Earth and exploring the cities.

Wonder Woman spoke a bit stiffly but had offered an olive branch by suggesting they spar together. She had called herself an Amazonian and Superman later explained that Wonder Woman came from an island inhabited only by warrior women.

Then there was Aquaman, who could supposedly control the seas, a man just as intimidating and gruff as Batman.

Sakura was also properly reintroduced to Green Lantern. He reminded her a bit of the Flash. It was difficult to put into words but they were both self-assured, a bit arrogant, and the jokesters of the group although Green Lantern was more like Shisui while the Flash was more like Naruto.

Then there were the other members Sakura had only met in passing, Black Canary, Green Arrow, Zatanna, and Cyborg. But most importantly and most notably, Supergirl; Superman's cousin and the only other person with their family the new information she'd gathered, Sakura was coming to terms with the fact that Superman was her soulmate. Out of all the people of both worlds, Superman was someone fate had chosen to be her best match. It was equal parts exhilarating and terrifying.

The repercussions and implications of having Superman be her soulmate were also not lost on her. It either meant she would never return home or fate would have her choose between Konoha and her soulmate.

Of course fate would be cruel enough for either scenario.

The next thing she grappled with was whether or not she should tell Superman. He hadn't mentioned his mark when she brought it up so it couldn't have been something very obvious like a literal sakura flower and she didn't exactly have a clan symbol.

She suspected it could be the symbol of Konoha but with Superman in a suit which covered him from the neck down, she had no way of confirming it. Sakura would have had her forehead protector on her person if she hadn't lost it and felt oddly naked without it. With the uncertainty as to whether she would be able to return home, Sakura decided it would be best to keep her mark a secret for now.

Joining Flash in Central City was the best thing for her at the moment. The bustle of life that came with a city allowed her to see what the Justice League was fighting to protect and it put things into perspective. She had been a bit nervous at first, the constant honking and traffic noise was something she wasn't used to and Sakura was on high alert. However, after a few minutes without incident, she was able to ignore the sounds for the most part.

Central had more people than the five Great Shinobi Nations combined but it felt somewhat familiar to her. Civilians were going about their day. Children and their parents would approach Flash for autographs and pictures. The heroes of this world were well liked and Flash seemed to preen under the attention, picking up toddlers, crouching down next to older children, and genuinely interacting with the people he encountered.

Children asked if she was a new hero, if the two of them were dating, and although the main focus was always initially on the Flash, people would crowd her as well, hoping to get the inside scoop on what was happening within the Justice League.

It was a bit overwhelming but their curiosity and enthusiasm was infectious.

Everything was larger to accommodate the sheer amount of people within the city and the stores were no different. The "mall" had a store for every conceivable need. She felt a bit guilty using their money but Flash had assured her that the League was more than well funded to get her some decent clothes and a place to stay if she wished.

Sakura accepted their generosity with gratitude and was able to get a few casual outfits but knew any request for a combative uniform was premature.

All in all, she was greatly enjoying her time even if she was a bit taken aback at the attention she'd garnered. After a few hours of exploring the city and buying her things, they were wrapping up and about to call for transport just outside the mall when Superman appeared.

His stormy expression didn't bode well for her. It only got worse when Flash left with her bags after a hushed conversation between the two men. Flash gave no excuse or said anything and sped away.

Superman approached her and Sakura reflexively searched for an exit. Thankfully, another crowd had gathered for Superman and it was easy for her to take a step back and let others come between them. Flashes went off and there were phones everywhere as people fought to get a better picture of Superman. Children and adults alike yelled for his attention.

His far too serious expression seemed to melt away as he gave everyone an apologetic smile. "We have to get going now." There were sounds of disappointment around them and a few people dispersed right away while others lingered for additional pictures.

Sakura was standing near the edge of the crowd when Superman held out his hand for her. Her heart jumped as people parted and eyes fell on her. The pink haired woman stepped forward and considered simply ignoring his hand but he didn't drop it, as if testing her in some way.

It was embarrassing to admit her hand trembled as she grasped his larger one. He was warm and his hand wasn't as calloused as she would expect of a fighter. The small smile he had told her he noticed her nervousness.

He gently tugged her closer and Sakura took a few more steps until she was directly before him. All she could see was her soulmark on his broad chest which thankfully hid her reddened cheeks from his view. Placing his hands on her waist, Superman leaned forward to speak directly into her ear.

"Hold on." In the next second, there was a swoosh of air as the ground disappeared from under her. Sakura's eyes were clenched tightly shut as the sudden feeling of flying hit her. Needing something to hang onto, her arms locked around his neck as her breathing shallowed from the rush of adrenaline.

The air grew colder and she was thankful he ran so hot, providing much needed body warmth. Her eyes were still closed and her face hidden in his chest even when she perceived they were simply hovering. He smelled earthy, reminding her of the woods which was odd because he was an alien to this world. His scent was comforting, not too strong to be overwhelming but enough that he seemed to surround her with it.

"Sakura, open your eyes." He encouraged, with a bit of laughter in his tone.

Sakura blinked her eyes open and turned her face to the side in order to see how high they were. Far above the tallest building in Central, Sakura took in her surroundings.

The skyline was breathtaking and the glow of sunset cast the city in warm hues of orange and yellow. They turned slowly in the sky and Sakura was able to see the entire city.

"I think we have a few things to discuss." Superman spoke quietly, drawing her attention up to him.

Superman's eyes were soft, with a tender yearning that hadn't been there before.

 _He knew._

"Do we have to discuss it up here?" She asked, still anxious despite the beautiful view. She could use her chakra to stick to him but even that didn't make her feel very secure without actual ground beneath her feet.

"I won't drop you." Superman said, completely serious once again. "Would you mind if I flew us to Metropolis?" She wondered how far the journey would be but didn't ask. He was asking her to trust him and she suspected he also wanted to show her his city.

"Okay."

He tucked her into his side and Sakura had to loosen her death grip to allow him to hold her other hand out with his. The cape he wore covered her back as he began flying at a reasonable pace. The feeling of being encased in warmth as cool air hit her face was refreshing and after a few minutes, Sakura began to enjoy the experience. Pedestrians pointed at them from the street and Sakura heard more than a few people announce his presence.

Superman guided her hand with his as he avoided buildings and she realized the very intimate position of their bodies.

Surely he could fly without her hand. In fact, she was sure he could fly without his hand on her waist. It didn't seem like he had to hold her up. Rather, gravity had no pull on her. As though simply touching him extended the weightlessness to her own body.

Before long they were outside of Central and the day was growing darker. The brightest stars in the sky could be seen and within the next few minutes, it was completely dark with only the moon and city lights to illuminate the sky.

"Are you alright?"

Sakura nodded. Figuring his question was due to her stiff posture, Sakura fought to relax a bit more, fully trusting that he wouldn't drop her. Superman took his hand off her waist, confirming her earlier suspicions.

She heard Superman chuckle but she didn't know why. Sakura hadn't panicked or tensed at all.

"Have you figured it out?" Her confusion turned to understanding and she answered his easy smile with a smirk. Rather than say anything, Sakura took her hand from his and held onto the arm closest to her instead. When she still didn't fall, Sakura grew a bit bolder and pushed herself away from him until she was flying along side him with only their hands touching.

Her newfound fearlessness prompted Superman to fly higher until they touched the clouds. She was so exhilarated at the new sensations and view that Sakura didn't even think of Shikamaru. The moon was so bright and close, Sakura believed she could almost touch it if she hadn't seen how far it truly was from the Watchtower.

The clouds were surprisingly cold and Sakura retreated to Superman's warmer body by holding onto his arm.

After another twenty minutes, Superman brought her close to him as they slowed and approached a rooftop overlooking what she assumed was Metropolis. A giant globe on the top of the building read "The Daily Planet."

Her arms once again around his neck, Sakura searched his eyes for a hint of what he was thinking as they descended slowly. Was he disappointed to have her as his soulmate? Did he judge her for her bloodied history as a shinobi? His clear blue eyes gave nothing away.

Sakura didn't release him even when her feet finally met the ground.

 _What are you doing? You have to find a way home._

Sakura took a step back and withdrew her hands as Superman's hands fell from her waist to his sides.

Superman surprised her by turning away and taking a step towards the edge of the roof. "This is the best view in the entire city." He remarked, inviting her to come up next to him.

This _was_ one of the tallest buildings and from so high up, she could see the coastline. The occasional office was lit in the nearby buildings and the streetlights were on as cars filed through below them. The night was fairly clear, and although the city lights drowned out most of the stars, the brightest ones could be seen just above them.

"It's beautiful here." She said, as she gripped the railing. From the corner of her eye, Sakura saw him smile at the compliment to his city. There was a stretch of silence as the tension in the air mounted.

"What did you want to discuss?" Sakura asked as she faced him properly.

Superman turned towards her and outlined the "S" featured prominently on his chest with his forefinger. "You asked me about this symbol when we first met." Sakura nodded. "Why?" His brows were slightly furrowed and he was tense.

Sakura took a fortifying breath before she answered him.

"It's my soulmark." Sakura admitted as she met his eyes.

* * *

Everything within him screamed at him to embrace her. To pull Sakura into his arms and never let go. Of all the trillions of souls in the universe, fate had chosen her. When he saw her with Flash, Clark couldn't help but use his x-ray vision to search for the Mark of El. The mixed emotions that followed the visual confirmation only threatened his resolve. He hadn't expected the flood of relief and he didn't expect to feel so protective. He'd finally found her.

Clark reached into his thin utility belt and took out the drawing J'onn had made.

Sakura slowly unfolded the piece of paper. "J'onn drew that hoping Batman would make a replica for you." Her wide green eyes looked up at him with some confusion. "He hoped it would put you at some ease to have a reminder of your world." Her brilliant green eyes shimmered and Clark knew she was swayed by J'onn's thoughtfulness.

"My soul mark is that symbol, encircled by a branch of cherry blossoms." He admitted.

Her loose fist came up to rest over her mark and he pointed to where his own was hidden beneath his suit, letting her know the locations matched. As though in a daze, Sakura took a small, tentative step forward and placed her other hand over his covered mark.

Clark leaned down to press his forehead against hers, wanting to be closer.

 _Needing_ to be closer.

Bruce's warning rang through his head but he couldn't let her go without knowing what her lips felt like.

Clark closed the distance between them slowly and Sakura rose up on her toes to meet him. His fingers wove into her soft pink locks as his other hand splayed over her back. She was warm and inviting, with a softness that he never possessed.

Sakura wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him down to deepen the kiss. Every nerve in his body fired for her and he knew he would never forget the taste of her lips.

He felt complete.

This singular moment felt like it had the weight of the universe. Something within him changed irrevocably. It was different than Lois or any other kiss he'd ever had. Whether it was the mark or the idea of a soulmate, something within him called for Sakura. In that moment he knew that there would be no one else but her.

Sakura was intelligent, willful, inquisitive, compassionate, and headstrong. From what little he knew of her, he knew she was a force to be reckoned with. She saved her friend without a second thought and would willingly leave herself stranded in a world she didn't know in order to protect her people. Sakura was self-sacrificing and resolute. If he only let himself, Clark could fall for her in an instant.

But he couldn't.

Much too soon, Clark pulled away, the inner conflict he felt written on his features. Clark fought not to take her away from this place and everyone who would seek to hurt her. But the world needed him. The Justice League needed him. Just as her world needed her.

He would leave the decision up to her.

Sakura's lips were pink, cheeks beautifully flushed, and her eyes were still closed as her breaths came out in short huffs.

The knowledge that she was as affected as he was made it more difficult.

"I'm sorry." Clark whispered as he stepped away from her. Hurt flashed across Sakura's face but he forced himself to power through.

 _He imagined her afraid._

"The Justice League and I have a lot of enemies. People who will try to get to me by hurting you..."

 _He imagined her in pain._

"I can't ask you to endure that."

 _Clark imagined losing her._

"I can't ask you to stay in a world where you would be constantly targeted and placed in danger."

A tremor went through her and Sakura hugged herself to keep from trembling. "You're saying you want me to leave?"

"No." His contradictory words only made her frown but there was relief in her posture."I would do everything in my power to keep you safe." Clark vowed as he placed his hands on her petite shoulders. "If you choose to stay, I will protect you. With everything I have." Clark searched her eyes, telling her that he wasn't pushing her away because he disfavored her.

"What if...what if there's no way for me to go home?"

"If-" Clark clenched his fists. "If you tell me to stay away, I will. You can have a peaceful life here."

 _Without me._

He could try to stay with her as Clark Kent but there was no way to make sure someone like Luthor wouldn't figure it out. The same concerns and worries applied even if he wasn't with her as Superman.

"I don't expect you to sacrifice your life in your world for a life of constant danger with me." Clark closed his eyes, wanting so much to ask her to stay, to be with him despite the possible danger to her. "Please don't let what I want affect your decision."

Sakura opened her mouth, ready to say something but she decided not to speak.

Seconds passed.

A minute.

"Alright." She finally said. There was a sharp pain in his heart from that one simple word.

"Take your time to think about it." Clark cupped her cheek, as his eyes softened to hide his pain at the thought of losing a chance of a life with her. He kissed the diamond on her forehead and memorized the feel of her in his arms.

Clark backed away, took out a thumb sized communication device and turned it on. "One to transport." He stared at the spot Sakura had occupied for lengthy minutes after she disappeared.

* * *

Sakura felt numb when she arrived at the Watchtower.

He was giving her a reasonable way out.

She didn't have to feel guilty about leaving him if he had been the one to suggest it.

It would be selfish of her to stay here even if Superman was her soulmate.

Superman was providing her with a reason to leave.

Sakura had no idea what sort of enemies the League had but Bizarro had been able to stand after taking a chakra infused fist from her. If Bizarro was Superman's clone that meant he wasn't a slouch either. His concern for her had been genuine. Which meant there were foes here more powerful than that brute.

 _So, why had she been about to tell him she wanted to stay?_


	13. ClarkSakura: Leap of Faith Pt4

**Clark/Sakura - Shinobi Themes Challenge #29: Leap of Faith pt.4**

 **Sorry it's taken so long to post but after a rude comment on one of my other fics and too many busy days, I lost all motivation. Seasonal depression is also very real but I'm feeling better.**

* * *

"I need you to come to the transporters."

Sakura was jolted from her slumber by Batman's commanding voice over the speaker near her door. Did that man never sleep? Blearily, Sakura made her way to the console and asked for five minutes to get ready.

Batman was already waiting for her on the platform with a frown, indicating his impatience.

"There was a spacial anomaly similar to the one that brought you here." He stated as he motioned for her to step onto the transporter. A button press later and Sakura found herself on the roof she first arrived on when she came to this dimension.

It was the middle of the night from what she could tell and Batman was already surveying the otherwise empty rooftop with one of his devices. Sakura looked around, not knowing what she was supposed to be looking for. Did the spacial anomaly he detected mean that someone else from her world had arrived? Was it some lingering effect of her arrival? Batman didn't give her any additional information and Sakura began to wonder why he had even bothered to call her out for this if he wasn't going to talk to her. Annoyed, she sat on the ledge and waited as the occasional car passed by beneath her. The night air was chillier than what she had dressed for but the crisp temperature woke her up and invigorated her.

Once he was done investigating the rest of the rooftop, Batman made his way back to her.

"It's not a pinpoint location but there was a disturbance in this city. We'll canvass the area." Batman announced before using his grappling hook on an adjacent building to drop to the ground. Sakura sighed, before leaping off of the building to land next to the infuriating man.

They walked in silence as Batman watched his gadget. She busied herself by attempting to sense any familiar chakra nearby.

"I take it you talked to Superman." He said after ten minutes of silence.

"I did." Weeks ago, Sakura thought. But he already knew that. Since their talk on the roof, Sakura hadn't seen Superman. She had acutely noticed his absence and tried to focus her attention on trying to return home. But each time she and Zatanna grew closer to finding a reasonable solution, Sakura felt more unsure. Zatana had warned her that time could move at different speeds between the dimensions. It was entirely possible for years or decades to have passed in Konoha while only weeks passed here.

"And he told you to leave." Sakura felt the words like a stab through the heart.

Barely keeping herself from wincing, Sakura froze in the middle of the abandoned street they were on.

Batman stopped walking immediately and turned to face her. "Will you?" His inquiry was clinical and he expected a yes or no answer.

"He said he was concerned for my safety. But it's clear you don't exactly share the same sentiment." Sakura observed instead, again wondering why he had called for her when it was clear he didn't like her.

Sakura couldn't tell if his eyes narrowed or if the dim light was playing tricks on her.

"I'm worried something will happen to you and he will do something he can't take back." She repressed an unladylike snort at his continued prickliness.

"From what I've seen so far, he's the perfect hero isn't he?" Sakura crossed her arms, defiantly meeting his gaze in challenge. She had watched the news as Superman busied himself the past few weeks with putting out forest fires, preventing a helicopter crash, saving people from an avalanche, and even alleviating a drought. The man was certainly keeping himself busy. The news and the people adored him, respected him. But most importantly, people felt they knew him because Superman didn't cover his face. Sakura found herself wondering what he was really like beyond his codename and the Justice League.

"All it takes is one bad day to reduce the sanest man to lunacy." Batman seemed to be quoting someone with loathing but she couldn't be sure. Who could ever be sure about anything with this man?

"And you think, what? That if I die, Superman will go mad?" Her flippant tone rubbed Batman the wrong way judging by the way his shoulders tensed. But she was a shinobi and had known since her time in the Academy that she would most likely die on the field rather than in the comfort of her home of old age. "Or, are you concerned that if _he_ dies, I'll go mad?" Again, she seemed to hit the nail on the head.

How humiliating.

She was an expert in poisons, the apprentice to the Fifth Hokage and someone who had mastered the Yin Seal. If there was one thing she hated the most, it was being looked down upon or being underestimated.

It would be easier to show him.

Sliding a kunai from the waistband of her shorts, Sakura plunged it into her abdomen with a slight grimace before Batman could drop the device in his hand and stop her. Sakura easily avoided all major organs with medical precision but it didn't prevent the searing pain.

"What are you doing?" He demanded harshly as he grabbed her shoulder and shoved her into the brick wall of the building next to her.

She withdrew the weapon and let it fall to the pavement with a loud clatter. Sakura immediately felt her blood soak into her shirt and drip down to her shorts, warming her up in the chilled night air. His gloved hands fought to cover her gaping wound and ease her to the ground but Sakura stubbornly stayed standing.

Willing her chakra to the area immediately, Sakura stopped the bleeding without her hands and stitched the tissue back together before his eyes. Batman's furious scowl could send Orochimaru running but she held firmly and met his gaze.

"I'm not that easily killed." Sakura declared before swatting his blood soaked hands away. Batman took a step back, still glaring at her.

"My parents were probably given my forehead protector. My friends and colleagues surrounded an empty grave, then they probably gathered in a bar somewhere and drank it dry. My name was carved into a memorial stone for being killed in action. My teacher probably visits that depressing monument every day and forgets to eat. My mentor probably never went to work for a week after falling into an endless bottle of sake. She lost her soulmate too." Batman's jaw was clenched tightly as he listened to her.

"They mourned. They grieved. But I know they're strong enough to go on. Because my life was in service to something more than just myself and they won't let that go to waste. Perhaps, Batman, you give your friend too little credit." Sakura had been ready to resume their search when a thought occurred to her. "Or, perhaps you give _me_ too little credit."

Sakura turned on her heel to leave Batman when a shiver crawled up her spine. Instantly alert, she scanned the rooftops and empty streets for another presence. Beside her, noticing her change in demeanor, Batman tensed and did the same.

Killing intent filled the air and Sakura whirled around to protect Batman's chest from the projectile intended for his heart. She caught it by the handle and momentarily hesitated at the familiar weight and texture of the weapon. There was a blur of movement and a male body came barreling towards her. The two kunai clashed as Sakura caught the entire weight and speed of the other shinobi with the edge of the blade. Batman sidestepped, giving her more room to absorb the impact.

Dark brown hair appeared in her vision first then pale white eyes and a Konoha hitai ate. _Hyuuga._

"Wait." Sakura yelled, recognizing his face from the list of ANBU recorded as missing in action. "Hoku-san, it's me, Haruno Sakura."

Despite her identifying herself, Hoku didn't let up and instead activated his byakugan. He had been on the team before hers to go after the missing nin five months before her team had been sent to deal with them. Hoku must have been transported here through the same jutsu.

"I know who you are. You're going to tell me how to get home." Hoku pushed away from her, throwing the kunai in his hand before crouching into a fighting stance. Sakura deflected the kunai with the one in her own hand then raised her arms in surrender, letting the kunai hang on her finger by the loop.

"I don't know how to get home. And I don't want to fight you. I'm-"

"You lie!" Before Sakura could attempt to say any more, Hoku bulleted forward, intent on striking her chakra points. Immediately on the back foot, she tried to get more distance between them to defend herself but he appeared beside her in the next moment.

Catching the shinobi's wrist, Sakura redirected Hoku's body and threw him away from her and Batman. He hit a pole and disappeared with a puff of smoke.

 _Shadow clone?_

The real Hoku appeared behind her and was able to land a direct hit on her back. Hoku's chakra went through her and Sakura's own substitute dissipated. He was serious.

Sakura tried to get Hoku's attention again while Batman put space between them, presumably to give him time to call for help or set a trap. "Hoku-san, please. I've been stuck here just like you. We can find a way back together."

There was a tinge of madness in Hoku's next words that chilled Sakura to the bone. "You're lying. He told me you would. He told me you know how to get home."

Sakura swallowed thickly, doubting if she wanted to hear the answer to her next question. "W-who have you been talking to?"

"Sakura-san. I just want to go home." He pleaded, desperation seeping into his voice. "Just let me go home."

Sakura thought of what she knew of the other shinobi. He was talented, highly proficient. A stoic and proud Hyuuga through and through. They all believed he had died although his body hadn't been recovered, it was assumed he had been taken by enemy shinobi with the hopes of recovering the Byakugan. There was always someone with him whenever Sakura ran into him on the street.

It dawned on her that he had been married.

Hoku was desperate to get back to his soulmate and that desire had been manipulated by someone feeding him lies.

Sakura's heart clenched. "I don't know how to get back home. The Justice League has been helping me but I've been _stuck_ here." She tried explaining again. But Hoku shook his head almost immediately, dismissing her arguments.

"Your soulmate is here." He accused and Sakura paused.

He shouldn't know that.

He _couldn't_ know that.

"You don't want to leave Superman and you don't want me to go to Konoha and tell them the Hokage's beloved apprentice has turned her back on her home. Where is your _hitai ate_?" He asked rhetorically before he straightened, and his face became a mask. "As an ANBU captain and your superior, I order you to surrender."

Sakura paused but knew that whoever Hoku had been speaking to was an enemy of the Justice League. "I'm sorry, Hoku-san but I can't do that. Whoever you've been speaking to-."

He nodded curtly and cut her off. "Then I charge you with dereliction of duty, abandonment, and insubordination." Before she could say anything in her defense or explain, he attacked again, this time focusing all of his attention on her chakra points.

He was her ally, she didn't want to fight back but she also couldn't keep evading him indefinitely. Thankfully, he was fighting to subdue her rather than outright kill her.

A red blur was able to give Sakura some space by knocking Hoku to the side. Sakura gave Flash a grateful look that was short lived as a metal being flew in and dropped down in the space between them. Sakura was forced to leap back and dimly heard Batman re-engage with Hoku with a few exploding projectiles.

The newcomer attacked Flash first, struggling to catch the speedster. Flash was able to get a few cheap shots in as he ducked and weaved with ease. Sakura once again tried to go for Hoku when the metal man stamped his foot down, bringing asphalt and concrete splintering forward, Flash tripped on the uneven flooring and was easily caught by the throat.

Sakura charged, her hand glowing a faint blue but before she could hit him, Flash was tossed to the side and a silver afterimage was left behind as her punch met only air.

The thing was a hundred times faster than he had been.

From the corner of her eye, Sakura saw Flash rise to his feet and shake his head roughly, appearing otherwise unharmed.

The android stopped as his attention shifted, reaching for her with an outstretched hand. Sakura tensed, not knowing how she would outrun him but summoning chakra to her legs to leap. Before the android could activate his new super speed, a golden rope tied itself around his forearm. There was a loud yell from above as Wonder Woman lifted the metal and brought him swinging down into the concrete, rocking the earth beneath her and leaving a crater.

Sakura barely had time to breath a sigh of relief before the thing was back on his feet. His eyes glowed red as he turned his gaze to Wonder Woman. It shifted his feet, gripped the lasso with both hands and pulled Wonder Woman from the air towards the ground. Her shock written on her face, Wonder Woman attempted to fly higher, straining to overpower the android. Another sharp tug and Wonder Woman left imprints in the ground where she landed a few feet from him, still connected by her lasso. Had he just gotten stronger as well?

When Flash rushed to aid Wonder Woman, Sakura sought out her fellow shinobi.

As she fought Hoku, more members of the Justice League appeared to take on the android and were getting nowhere. Already, Flash had been knocked out. Hawkgirl and Green Lantern continued struggling while the robot acquired more and more abilities, also replicating their weapons. When it seemed as though the Justice League would gain the upper hand with reinforcements, Bizarro arrived.

A devastating blow to the chakra points in her left arm left it hanging uselessly as Sakura was prevented from making hand signs. She could reverse the damage but it would require her right hand and some time. Hoku had gone through her other clones in quick order and while she was adept at taijutsu, her pure strength wasn't much help against a Hyuuga's gentle fist if she couldn't land a hit. She could use her yin seal to send a massive amount of chakra to the damaged points but it could leave her vulnerable to his Twin Lion Fists. Sakura couldn't allow him to absorb her chakra reserves in such a way.

As though the moment had been planned and coordinated, Bizarro momentarily broke away from his fight with Wonder Woman and flew in as soon as Sakura's arm was rendered useless.

Lurching to the side, she barely escaped the tackle flying in for her but it only served to bring her closer to Hoku, who had anticipated her escape and attacked her right arm and chest with unfailing accuracy.

A rough hand then clamped around her left wrist and she felt a strong pinch.

Sakura recoiled and kicked out with both feet, hitting the reversed seal of her soul mark, and yanking her arm from Bizarro's grasp. She tumbled away, colliding with the ground harshly but bouncing back up to her feet. Groggily, Sakura wondered why her vision was so cloudy. She looked down at her wrist and saw the three empty syringes held up and secured in place by a metal bracelet.

Immediately attempting to release her seal and bring chakra to her free hand, Sakura panicked when she realized the metal wristband was a chakra inhibitor. She swayed, as the cool sedative in her veins worked through her system with remarkable speed. Her built up immunities to poisons seemed to do little to whatever had just been injected.

Eyes glazed, she weakly turned her head to see Hoku with a grim expression on his aristocratic features. Even with this betrayal by an ally, Sakura couldn't bring herself to blame him. She grabbed the syringes with an uncoordinated hand and tugged weakly at them to dislodge the needles from her skin. She could break through the inhibitors with pure physical strength but her muscles refused to flex as she clawed uselessly at the shackle.

With a curse, Sakura collapsed to her knees and heard someone yell her name in alarm.

 _Superman._

She vaguely made out his figure flying towards her, reaching for her.

 _If she had been taken from him, how far would she have gone to get back to him?_

That all consuming desire Hoku felt to return to his soulmate. That kind of fierce love...

Sakura wanted that as well.

Before he could get to her, Superman was shot out of the sky by a green light and Sakura felt weightless as someone picked her up, keeping her from falling to the ground. Even as her eyes glazed over and grew unfocused, Sakura sought out Superman to make sure he was okay. Sounds of the fight around her faded until all she heard was the beating of her own heart slowing down and her ragged breaths.

 _Of course._ Sakura realized and pieced together the puzzle of how Hoku knew in the back of her mind even as awareness of the present drifted from her and her eyes fluttered closed.

The last thing she felt was warmth and she saw gray and red before everything turned black.

 _Bizarro is Superman's_ _clone..._ _Their soul marks must be the same._

 _How far would he go to get her back?_

 _Was it selfish of her to wish?_

 _...please get me back._

A black curtain fell over her thoughts as Sakura fell deeper into unconsciousness.

* * *

Clark had been typing a late night report when a distress signal from Fawcett City came through on his communicator. The signal had been sent by Batman. Saving his work, Clark immediately radioed the Watchtower to find out what was going on. Information from Batman came sporadically but when Clark heard that Sakura was with him, his blood ran cold.

Changing quickly, Clark flew off.

Already, the transporters at the tower were being used to send the Flash and Wonder Woman while Hawkgirl, and Green Lantern would be flying in.

J'onn's voice informed Superman that an unidentified android was "stealing" the abilities of whoever it fought and warned him not to engage.

"Can't do that." Clark argued, picking up more speed and leaving a sonic boom behind him.

"Superman, your presence will only make the enemy stronger."

The rational side of him knew that J'onn was right. But Batman had also mentioned that their target was Sakura and he couldn't wait around while she was in danger.

"No, J'onn. He should come." Batman interjected, clearly having a plan. Clark didn't need another confirmation and continued flying towards the scene.

By the time he arrived, there was already considerable property damage and he noted that Wonder Woman and Flash had both collapsed while Hal was nearly out of power.

His eyes sought Sakura first and found her falling to her knees in front of a male figure with a forehead protector from her dimension. It didn't take long for him to deduce she had been drugged by the vials scattered around her feet and her left wrist was encased in a cuff he didn't recognize. Bizarro hovered nearby with a lopsided grin and Clark's eyes burned with the desire to shoot.

With the other hostile being taken on by Hawkgirl and Batman, Clark called for Sakura, begging her to hang on. It relieved him to know she could look in his direction although she appeared on the verge of passing out.

A blast from a lantern's ring hit him from the back, sending him hurtling to the ground with a grunt. He flew towards the android, intent on sending it crashing into the building behind it when its eyes glowed red. It leaped forward, meeting Superman in midair and creating a rush of air from the impact of their hands. A sound reminiscent of a clap of thunder echoed around them. He double checked the interior of the android to make sure there wasn't someone inside it.

Its eyes glowed red again and before Superman could comprehend how, it shot his chest with heat vision. Clark fell to the ground again and huffed in frustration. He didn't have time for this. When the android's eyes turned red again, Clark met the lasers with his own.

The energy crackled in the space between them as they were evenly matched. A green glow enveloped the android's hand and Clark was forced to fly to the side in order to avoid the blast.

"Superman, we got it from here." He didn't have to be told twice. Batman's plan was apparently already in motion. There was a cry from above as Hawkgirl took a swing at the robot with her mace. Judging by the green rock in Batman's gloved hand, Superman's presence was no longer needed. He hoped that Batman's hunch was right and that the android also took on their weaknesses. He scanned the area for any sign of Sakura, knowing it was most likely futile.

But when he heard the sounds of another fight a few blocks away, he flew towards the scuffle, hoping that perhaps Sakura was still trying to get away from them.

While she and Bizarro were gone, the man he had previously seen standing over her was fighting against someone wearing a bright orange shirt. He hovered a few inches off the top of the roof and had been about to stop the brawl when he felt a pointed object press into his back. He knew it wouldn't be able to pierce his skin but froze nonetheless. The unknown person behind him was as stealthy as Batman.

He flew higher and turned to face the third ninja. The man had long black hair tied into a loose ponytail wearing the same thing Sakura had been wearing when she had been sent here. The man's red eyes narrowed before what could only be described as black pinwheels in his irises began to spin lazily.

Clark braced himself, but nothing happened. When pink caught his eye just beyond the dark haired man, Superman rushed over to Sakura's prone form on the roof. Immediately bringing her into his arms, Clark confirmed she was still alive though she was unconscious and her shirt was covered in blood. With one arm around her shoulders, Clark checked her abdomen to make sure she wasn't still bleeding then made sure she had suffered no internal injuries.

He gently shook her, calling for her to wake up but received no response. Cradling her in his arms, Clark stood and looked back to where the man was still standing impassively.

Clark had just radioed in to Batman and the others to let them know he had Sakura when the android flew in with metal wings, copied from Hawkgirl and swooped in just enough to grab the one with pale eyes and fly away.

When he looked down, Sakura was no longer in his arms and Clark suddenly found himself on the other side of the roof as though the past few minutes hadn't happened. Confused, he looked up at the dark haired man to demand answers. The pinwheels in his eyes were no longer spinning and he stood like a statue, as he carefully watched Clark's reactions. Illusions? Something to do with the man's eerie red eyes? But it felt so real, Clark could still feel the ghost of Sakura's weight in his arms and remember the texture of her shirt.

"Itachi, what should we do?" The blond asked as he jogged over to where they were standing.

"It seems Sakura entrusted her fate to them to her detriment." Itachi said cooly.

Batman grappled in, and made no comment on the fact that Sakura was missing which probably meant that Clark had also hallucinated the radio call. "It was one of you who drugged her." He said gruffly, placing the blame on the other party.

"Hey! One of _you_ guys took her. The big guy had an 'S' just like that." The blond yelled, before seeming to grow pensive. "I've seen that before..." Clark tensed at the admission that the loud one had seen Sakura's soul mark considering where it was placed.

The one named Itachi's red eyes narrowed dangerously. "You'll tell us what you know about who took her. And why you have her blood on your hands." Batman shifted, bringing his dark gloves forward, letting his cape fall back. The fact that the gloves were black made it impossible to tell there was blood on it, one of the reasons why the caped crusader favored them. But the gray around Batman's forearm sported a red streak.

The illusion of Sakura had a bloodied shirt which meant that Itachi had seen her before she had been taken.

"We should regroup and take this back to the Watchtower." Clark suggested, not knowing if the others had recovered.

"After J'onn confirms that these two are allied with her and not Hoku and Bizarro." Bruce insisted.

Flash sped up the side of the building to join them while the others flew in with Hawkgirl supporting Wonder Woman until she could stand on her own.

A brown pug in a blue shirt, wearing the same forehead protector ran over to the two ninja. The blond only scratched his head, still deep in thought while Itachi turned his head to watch the dog arrive.

"I lost Sakura's scent and I can't reverse summon to Kakashi to tell him about Hoku." Came a gruff voice that could have only come from the dog.

It seemed that as soon as everyone had gathered, the blond had his eureka moment. "I know where I've seen that," he exclaimed, pointing at Superman's chest. "That's Sakura's soul mark!"

The reaction from the others told Clark that no one else besides Batman had known though Wonder Woman didn't appear to be surprised or hid it better than the others.

"So, I'm guess I missed a few things while I was out but a talking dog is the second most surprising thing today and I'm shook." Flash remarked to no one's amusement.

* * *

 **As I map out the next few chapters, I thought I'd post this in the hopes that I'll be inspired to write again.**


	14. ThorSakura: Dreams Pt1

**Thor** **/Sakura - Shinob** **i Themes Challeng** **e #18: Dreams**

 **Set before Age of Ultron. Thor: The Dark World didn't happen.**

 **I was working on Training part 2 and the Bucky/Sakura one when Thor just kinda cut in line so here it is. I outlined the story and Thor demanded more so this will also be a multi-part theme. I didn't really have the strength to refuse a god.**

 **How long it becomes will depend on feedback. I don't know of any Thor/Sakura stories so if people aren't feeling the couple, I won't drag it out.**

* * *

Sakura, Tony, and Bruce had been working tirelessly on Ultron for the past two weeks and were taking incremental steps forward. They had all been standing in front of their work desks, addressing various parts of the programming. There were cups of coffee strewn around the room along with empty plastic snack bags.

"So, how are things with you and Point Break?" Tony asked, breaking up the work talk with something a bit more personal. Sakura hadn't known he was talking to her so she kept silent until he impatiently called for her attention.

"Pinky?"

Sakura looked up from her readings with a surprised expression. "Huh?"

"You and Caped Thunder?" He spoke slowly, as though speaking to a child. Tony took a break from his work and propped his hip against his standing desk as he turned to look at her expectantly.

"There's nothing going on between us." Sakura assured, still dumbfounded as to what he was referring to.

Tony looked to Bruce in exasperation. "Tell me you haven't noticed that we seem to get storms to put weathermen out of a job whenever Pink Wonder goes on a date."

By "date" Sakura assumed he was referring to the times she would go out on errands with Coulson or missions with Clint.

Sakura looked at Bruce for some guidance but he only gave her a small shrug in agreement. She could tell Bruce hated that he was once again in the middle of things by his soft exasperated sigh.

Bewildered, Sakura firmly denied it to both of them. "You're imagining things."

"Sakura, Thor does get a bit...hotheaded when you get hurt." Bruce said delicately as he removed his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose before sliding them back on. Tony merely scoffed at the mild way of putting things but nevertheless pointed to Bruce for backing him up, then crossed his arms.

Apparently, Sakura never noticed the utter destruction that would befall an enemy once she got hurt. Lightning would streak the sky on clear days and thunder would constantly rumble. While it left enemies on edge, fearing the earth would split in two, Sakura would be perfectly ignorant of the dangers. She also didn't seem to notice that Thor checked on her before all others. Sakura had always assumed it was because he felt responsible for her wellbeing.

"Isn't he dating Jane?" Sakura inquired, still a bit hesitant to accept Tony's observations and mentally going through her interactions with Thor the past few weeks.

Bruce looked to Tony then Sakura, as though he was about to reveal a secret.

"They broke up three weeks ago." Bruce admitted quietly.

Thor hadn't mentioned that to her but Sakura did notice that he didn't bring Jane up anymore during their conversations. Sakura was never one to pry into his personal life and had assumed things hadn't changed much.

She shook her head, still in denial. "He's always been hot headed."

"Not like this." Tony remarked.

"He cares about you, Bubblegum." Tony's voice softened. Sakura stared at him for a moment to gauge whether this was some sort of prank. Tony liked to jest but he also used jokes to hide how much he cared for others. This was as serious of a conversation as he liked to get and it said a lot to her about Tony more than Thor.

This was Tony's way of looking after the team.

She was part of the team.

Sakura smiled.

"He still refers to you as 'Lady Sakura'." Bruce added, abandoning the computer screen he was in front of to look at her properly.

Sakura winced. She had told Thor previously that he didn't need to call her 'Lady Sakura', but he hadn't listened and she thought it would be rude to mention it again. Chalking it up to a difference in culture, Sakura had gotten used to the formal address and she quite liked the respectful way he talked to her. He was just being chivalrous, Sakura told herself.

"You're imagining things." Sakura repeated.

"He promised the Hokage that he would keep me safe is all. Thor's just another teammate." Sakura insisted before returning to her work and ending the discussion of her love life. She didn't need any more distractions or temptations. This was a temporary arrangement and she would have to return to Konoha.

* * *

The conversation with Tony and Bruce ringing in her head, Sakura left the lab to get something to eat.

She had just turned a corner when she bumped into a firm male body.

When she looked up to find Thor, an immediate blush appeared on her cheeks as his hands came up to steady her.

"Lady Sakura, are you alright?" He asked, concern evident on his features.

Her pink hair shifted as she nodded and took a step back to place some distance between them. "Yeah, I-I'm good. Um."

"Let me know when you're ready to return to Konoha." Thor said kindly. Sakura nodded again, not seeing or hearing anything to back Tony's accusations, Sakura mentally shook her head and smiled.

"Of course. I'll be ready by 10."

Tony had to be imagining things. Thor was just looking out for her as a friend and she needed to get her head back on straight if she was going to go back home for the weekend. Sasuke and Naruto were beginning to grow concerned over where she disappeared to each week and Sakura couldn't slip up or Tsunade would have her head. Her current cover was that she was assisting Suna with teaching their medics and the excuse was steadily growing thin.

After it was discovered that there were multiple worlds, Sakura had been assigned with the task of finding out the scope of everything and see if peace was possible. She knew that there was good in this world and technologies far more advanced than anything in her world. This could be a mutually beneficial partnership as long as there weren't any missteps. Currently, only Sakura, Tsunade, and Kakashi knew of her mission and although a part of her hated lying to her friends, she knew that this was a delicate process that required some trust and patience. The past few months had been like a dream and she finally felt as though she was getting the hang of Earth. Sakura was finally comfortable with the Avengers and she could tell that the members were also beginning to consider her a part of the team rather than just a tourist. To her surprise, she found that she quite liked Earth.

It might be vain or narcissistic but she liked being unique, to be needed. It might be because she always felt like the weak link in Team Seven. She always felt as though she had been holding the boys back. It was why she sought tutelage under Tsunade. But even after Sakura had learned all she could and arguably surpassed the sannin, Sakura always felt ten steps behind Sasuke and Naruto. She felt useful here, wanted, important.

The more time she spent on Earth, the less time she wanted to spend in Konoha. And the notion that she was turning her back on her home was a painful truth Sakura was beginning to hate herself for.

* * *

Thor had been in his room, ready to retire for the night when a loud knock sounded at his door, echoing through his chambers.

"Enter."

A guard walked in and bowed, before announcing the reason for his visit. "Heimdall requests your presence at the Bifrost, my Prince." Thor had been about to ask if the conversation couldn't wait till morning when the guard continued. "He said it is a matter dealing with Sakura Haruno."

Instantly alert, Thor called mjolnir to his hand. He dismissed the guard and flew through his large balcony windows towards the bridge.

Thor landed just a few minutes later. "What happened?" He asked as he entered the dome housing the Bifrost.

Heimdall, having seen Thor's arrival though his back was turned to him, opened the bridge, presumably to Sakura's home world. "She encountered something not of her world. She has yet to awaken."

Thor eyed the open gateway, knowing that he would go to her but also needing answers. "Do you know what it is?"

"I do not." Thor nodded, pensive.

"Thank you, my friend." With that, Thor allowed the Bifrost to take him and he felt the familiar pull of the bridge to Sakura's world.

He landed in the forest near Konoha. Sunlight streamed down through the hole the Bifrost had made in the tree line. Thor had been here only once to meet secretly with the Hokage but knew Sakura's descriptions of home. Leaving the scotched earth behind, Thor used mjolnir to fly above the trees and get his bearings.

It took only a moment to orient himself and fly towards the village hidden in the leaves.

He bypassed the gate, ignored the people and the alarm surrounding his appearance and went straight for the tallest building.

Thor landed with a soft thud onto a balcony and looked inside to find the Hokage sitting at her desk. Before he could knock or announce himself, a masked figure appeared next to him with a kunai at the ready.

Two more figures appeared in the room to usher their leader to a safer location. When Tsunade looked outside, Thor could hear the anger in her voice as she told her guards that it was alright. Tsunade stomped to him and yanked open the balcony door for him to enter.

"What are you doing here?" She asked as the man next to him relaxed and took his leader's cue to go back to his post. "Sakura's not due to leave for another day."

"There's been an incident." He began, as he entered the room with long strides. "Do you know where she is?"

"She should be out training. What happened?" Tsunade tried again, seeking answers that he couldn't give.

"I do not know. Heimdall only said that she was in trouble." Thor said as he anxiously turned mjolnir in his hand and paced the floor.

"Wait, something's happened to _Sakura_?" Thor understood her confusion but he didn't have any information or time to explain. He had been about to ask her for Sakura's location when a frantic woman poked her head through the now open double doors.

"Hokage-sama, it's Sakura." She paused and stared at him, wondering if she could speak in front of his company. He could tell his presence would look highly out of place while clothed in his full armor.

"What is it?" Tsunade demanded, startling the nurse.

"There's something-we need you. We don't know what it is." The dark haired woman informed quickly. Tsunade followed the girl's lead while Thor kept pace with them through the halls to an adjacent building.

"She won't wake up and there's...this pulse of energy whenever someone tries to get close." The woman explained but didn't seem capable of elaborating.

"How did she get to the hospital? Who brought her in?" Tsunade asked.

"Only Kakashi-san has been allowed near her." Turning another corridor, Thor heard a loud bang and a crack appeared on the door of one of the rooms.

"Oh no," the woman exclaimed as she hurried down to open the door and attend to the blond sprawled face down on the floor.

Tsunade and Thor stepped over them to enter the hospital room. He saw that Sakura was still unconscious on the bed with Kakashi hovering nearby. A dark haired man stood by the wall near the foot of Sakura's bed with his arms crossed and a scowl on his features. There were various medical equipment littering the floors but Sakura remained pristine. Her shoulder length pink hair fanned around her head like a halo. He could see no physical difference from how she had appeared the last time he saw her just two days ago.

"Lady Sakura." Despite the woman's earlier warnings, Thor went to Sakura's side and he was able to place his hand on her motionless hand. She was oddly warm, warmer than she normally was.

He felt the hair on the back of his neck stand up from the many eyes now on him. "Lady Sakura, can you hear me?"

There was no response. She didn't appear to be in any pain, but she was too still, too lifeless. He would have believed she could be dead if not for the slow rise and fall of her chest.

"Wait, who is this? Why hasn't he been shot to the wall like us?" The blond yelled loudly, rising to his feet and brushing the nurse away. Based on Sakura's descriptions of her teammates, Thor suspected the blond was Naruto and the sulking dark haired shinobi was Sasuke.

Thor didn't pay attention to the boisterous questions as his focus stayed with Sakura. He tried to detect the foreign substance she had come into contact with but saw no injuries or signs of anything out of the ordinary.

"Kakashi, what happened?" Tsunade demanded.

"We were taking a break from training, when Sakura didn't return, we went looking for her. She was in a cave near the lake, unconscious. Naruto and Sasuke weren't allowed near her but for some reason I was able to carry her here." Kakashi said as informatively as possible in few words.

"How long has she been like this?" Tsunade asked as she warily made her way to Sakura's side to examine her pupil.

"Anywhere from thirty minutes to an hour." Came the curt reply from the silver haired shinobi.

"Tsunade-baachan who is this man? What's happening to her?" Naruto asked again before growing nearly hysterical. "What if she doesn't wake up?! She can't die!"

If he hadn't been staring at her, Thor would have missed the small tick in Sakura's brow. Her jaw lowered and Sakura muttered something that he could barely make out.

"Noisy."

The next instant, a red mist exited from Sakura's prone left pointer finger. Thor followed the red hue as it lifted and danced towards Naruto and seemed to wipe his lips off of his face.

There was another panicked cry as Naruto's mouth disappeared, leaving behind smooth skin and wide eyes as he clawed at the place his mouth should be. There were muffled screams as the boy fell to his back and flailed his arms.

Tsunade and Kakashi rushed to his side while Sasuke's eyes turned red.

Thor turned his attention back to Sakura and gently shook her arm. "My lady, it's Thor. Can you hear me?" He cupped her cheek to turn her towards him, willing her eyes to open. Sasuke approached the bed cautiously. When he hadn't been repelled or attacked by whatever force was inside her, Sasuke relaxed his shoulders and scanned Sakura's form with his red eyes.

"You need to awaken now, lady Sakura." It seemed to take ages but her fingers twitched and her eyes shifted beneath her lids before her brilliant green eyes opened. Thor let out a sigh of relief, hand tightening over hers in gratitude.

"Thor?" She asked as her brows drew together in confusion and her eyes focused on him. "What are you doing here? Why are you dressed for battle?"

"Something's happened to you." He began to explain, still kneeling at her bedside.

There was a loud gasp as Naruto's mouth reappeared and he shakily stood up with the nurse's help.

"Kakashi." Tsunade's authoritative voice was enough and the shinobi ushered his students and the nurse outside to give them some privacy. There were protests from the loud one that were barely silenced by Kakashi's strict order to let the Hokage take care of Sakura.

Blissfully, the door closed shut, muffling Naruto's counter arguments, giving them some peace to approach the problem somewhat calmly.

"Sakura, what's the last thing you remember?" The Hokage asked quietly, reaching for her pupil with a glowing green palm.

"I-We were training." Sakura cleared her throat as she shifted to a sitting position, pushing herself up to lean against the plastic headboard behind her. Thor noted that Sakura didn't shake off his hand.

"We took a twenty minute break so I went to the lake to get some water...there was a voice. Laughter? Someone called for help. So I looked for them in a cave overlooking the lake...and then, I don't know what happened. There was nothing in there. No one was there...and then I woke up here." Tsunade scanned Sakura's arm, chest, and head with a deepening frown.

The glow around Tsunade's hand disappeared as she stood up to her full height and crossed her arms. "I can't find anything wrong with you. But something's not right." Tsunade admitted.

"Sakura, you just created a complex, highly advanced genjutsu that affected everyone in this room while unconscious. Not even Sasuke's sharingan could remove it." Sakura's eyes grew wide, letting them know she had no knowledge of the event.

"But...how is that possible? I don't feel any different." Sakura looked down at herself then to Thor for counsel. He squeezed her hand reassuringly and rubbed the back of her wrist with his thumb. They didn't know what the energy source was but it seemed to react to her emotions and desires.

He needed to keep her calm.

"We should go to Asgard and see if our healers can give us some answers. Heimdall said that what you encountered wasn't of this world." Thor suggested.

Sakura nodded slowly, digesting the information. Tsunade also seemed to consider his words.

"What about Naruto and Sasuke? Kakashi-sensei?" Sakura asked as she looked to the door.

"I'll debrief them." Tsunade said as she motioned for Sakura to get up. "We'll conduct our own research. It may be not from this place but someone else could have encountered it before."

She was able to stand without any help but Thor hovered nearby in case she collapsed again. He took her hand when she got her bearings and Tsunade moved around them to open the window.

"I don't have to like it but it's more likely that they'll be able to give us answers." Tsunade commented.

"Take care of my apprentice." The Hokage ordered gravelly.

Thor nodded and brought Sakura closer to hold her by the waist. Spinning mjolnir, Thor took to the sky to find a safer spot for the Bifrost.

* * *

Heimdall welcomed her with a friendly smile and Sakura couldn't help smile lightly back at him. His golden eyes seemed to assess how close she and Thor stood next to each other with knowing eyes, prompting Sakura to take a step away from the prince in embarrassment.

"Welcome back to Asgard, Lady Sakura." He said warmly, shifting the sword controlling the Bifrost so the gate stuttered closed. He made his way down the steps and Sakura clasped forearms with him in a warrior's greeting. He towered over her and his full regalia as gatekeeper made him intimidating. His helmet alone seemed to add half a foot to his height.

"I wish we saw each other in better circumstances." She said.

It was night in Asgard. The golden city took on a more bronze hue while the rainbow bridge seemed to sparkle as brightly as the stars and galaxies above them.

"You're always welcome here, my lady." Heimdall's kind words calmed her somewhat. It had begun to hit her that she wasn't in Asgard for a vacation or even to further their relations. Sakura had an unidentified, potentially dangerous substance within her. The unknown was making her anxious and the fact that Thor had insisted he take her back to Asgard told her just how serious this could be.

"Thank you for looking out for me, Heimdall." Who knew what could have happened if Heimdall hadn't sounded the alarm.

He inclined his head then looked to Thor before grinning more playfully.

"I would have kept an eye on you even if my prince had not asked me to do so." Sakura quirked a brow at Thor's obviously nervous chuckle. The God of Thunder clapped the other Asgardian on the shoulder solidly over his armor and she looked between them at the silent conversation taking place.

Not for the first time, Sakura thought of Heimdall as a good man. She had met him the first time he transported her between Konoha and Earth and he had always been beyond reproach. Thor had always spoken highly of him and it was clear the prince considered Heimdall a good friend.

"He's a joker, this one." Thor cleared his throat and Sakura tilted her head in confusion. What was the joke, she wondered. If Sakura knew someone who could keep an eye out for Sasuke and Naruto, she would ask them to do so. In fact, she was tempted to ask Heimdall how her team took the news of her departure, what Tsunade had told them, and what they thought about other worlds but held her tongue.

Did Thor think she would be offended he asked Heimdall to watch her? She trusted Heimdall, knew he was honorable. Besides, it wasn't as though she engaged in anything that would be potentially embarrassing for her. Sakura didn't think it was a commentary on her ability to take care of herself either.

Before she could ponder on it further, Heimdall stepped back to his post. "The healers are waiting for you." He informed and some of her apprehension returned at the reminder of why she was here.

"Be well, Lady Sakura. For the prince's sake."

"Thank you, Heimdall." Thor said curtly, cutting Heimdall off near the end with a tight smile.

Thor took the few short steps to bring her body flush against his for the trip into Asgard. Sakura swallowed thickly and tightened her hold on him, not quite used to flying. Telling herself she would be fine, Sakura took a deep breath.

* * *

 **Well, that was part one. Feedback on this pair would be greatly appreciated to see how many chapters this one requires. It could get as long as Leap of Faith or just a two parter depending on how much people like this couple.**

 **I also really want to get Bucky or Steve finished but I don't have a lot of time to do both for the next few weeks. Let me know which one you would prefer and I'll work on whichever gets more requests.**


	15. SteveSakura: Training Pt2

**Steve/Sakura - Shinob** **i Themes Challeng** **e #37: Training Pt.2 (end)**

 **Thank you to everyone who took the time to review. I'm blown away by how many people liked the Thor/Sakura chapter.**

* * *

For the life of him, Steve didn't understand what had gone wrong with Sakura. Training was as they were used to but he had noticed that Sakura more frequently than not, found excuses to decline his invitations for coffee or lunch. More than missing whatever spark had been there, Steve felt as though he had lost a friend and it killed him. He worried over what he had done wrong but found that he couldn't pinpoint a particular event.

He had given her the benefit of the doubt at first, but as time went on, the conclusion seemed pretty conclusive.

Sakura was avoiding him and he had no idea why.

They rarely talked outside of training and Sakura decided to place her medical expertise into Tony's inventions on her free time. The trio were able to deduce from trials that the Hulk's anger had something to do with his strength and they were beginning to make some headway on how to get him to let Dr. Banner in the driver's seat.

With Bucky in the wind, SHIELD in shambles and Sam still running meetings, it left Steve with a lot of alone time. He found himself spending most of his time searching for Bucky but with dead end after dead end, he was growing more and more frustrated.

Steve had just been about to turn in for the night when a call from Romanoff derailed him. To his understanding, the women had gone out for "girl's night" and wouldn't be back until late. When Natasha asked him to come over to a bar they were staying at, Steve was reluctant but she had said it was an emergency but not to drive there. With a sigh, Steve grabbed his jacket and caught a cab to the address Romanoff sent.

He had been about to look up from his phone to make sure he was at the right place when the door to the bar opened and Sakura stumbled out along side Natasha.

"Steve?" Her words were slurred as she wobbled unsteadily in her heels. Without much preamble, Natasha all but dumped Sakura into his chest and dusted her hands off like she was passing a sack of potatoes.

Sakura took a deep breath and mumbled something unintelligible as she leaned heavily on his shoulder to stay standing.

"How much did she drink?" He asked in astonishment as he half wondered if Sakura would have to be taken to the hospital.

"Almost half the bar." He didn't know if that was a joke but he could certainly smell the alcohol on Sakura's breath, overpowering the perfume she'd sprayed earlier that night. Behind Romanoff, Pepper shrugged but had the decency to look apologetic as she put on her coat.

"Why is she the only one like this?" He asked, taking note of the fact that Maria also appeared completely sober.

"Are you suggesting we got her this hammered?" He raised a skeptical brow. "You wouldn't be wrong. Sakura's no lightweight. We wanted to see how much it would take to get her wasted."

Steve felt a headache coming but ignored it as he tried to readjust Sakura to a more comfortable position. When he looked down, he saw her eyes were half lidded and she pouted adorably as she pressed her cheek to his chest to face the breeze.

"Tasha challenged me." Sakura murmured next to his collarbone. "Pretty sure she cheated, mmm or drugged me." He felt her warm breath ghost over him and frowned at the accusation.

"She didn't disappoint and I didn't drug her." Natasha remarked as Darcy checked her phone for the location of their Uber. "Take care of her for us, we're still not done with girl's night."

"Tasha," Sakura whined, "I wanna go clubbing too. I've never been clubbing." She looked at the other woman with beseeching but glazed eyes.

"You're going to start a riot." Nat remarked as she patted Sakura's shoulder in a consoling manner. "Let Cap take you home."

Sakura weakly shook her head, rubbing against him and Steve had to mentally count to ten to refrain from wrapping his arms around her or pushing her away for his sanity. By the time he reached ten, Natasha was already at the curb, ready to leave.

"Wait, Romanoff!" Steve turned their bodies with his hands on Sakura's bare elbows as he tried to protest.

Natasha smirked then jokingly said, "Don't do anything your mother wouldn't approve of." Just as a grey sedan pulled up to the curb and Darcy opened the rear door.

Darcy, Maria, and Pepper filed in to the back of the car as Nat took the front seat. Halfway in the car, Nat addressed his bewildered expression. "I wouldn't take a car, Cap. She might get some motion sickness." Mocking him with a lazy salute, she shut the door and the car rolled away.

A second ticked by, then another as Steve tried to comprehend the tornado that had just passed through leaving him with an inebriated teammate.

"She's been me picking. Wait, picking me on. No. Picking on me." Sakura groaned, taking a wobbly a step away from him and threatening to fall over. Steve followed her movements and tried to hold her steady but Sakura leaned away from him and shook his hands off her arms to brush her hair away from her eyes. Seeing she would definitely topple if he didn't hold her, Steve held her the only place he could.

His hands on the curve of her waist, Steve tried not to think of how the deep blue dress molded to her perfectly. Her back was completely exposed and the pads of his fingers grazed her smooth skin. Sakura was warm from the alcohol but still got gooseflesh from the crisp air.

He wondered why she wasn't wearing her coat. In fact, her coat was no where to be seen. Sakura still had her purse secured over her with the cross body strap but it seemed to be there just to emphasize the curve and dip of her breasts. The deep v-neckline of the dress also didn't help matters. Damning Natasha in his mind, Steve pulled Sakura in so she could put some of her own weight on her feet. Eyes closed, Sakura wrapped her arms around his shoulders. He barely repressed a shiver when he felt her fingers in his hair, nails scraping on his scalp as she straightened up a bit. Sakura either wasn't aware or didn't care that the hold she had on him was highly suggestive.

His heart quickened and a faint blush reached his cheeks.

Was she always this touchy when she got drunk?

If she had made it to the club, would she be holding someone else like this?

Stamping down that dangerous train of thought, Steve took the opportunity to take off his brown leather jacket and drape it over Sakura's shoulders. Thankfully the pink haired temptress eased off of him to put it on properly. His hands hovered around her, ready to catch her if she were to fall and it only took her two tries to get both sleeves through. The jacket dwarfed her frame and Steve couldn't help but be charmed at how small she appeared in his clothing.

Her hand obscured by the cuff of his sleeve, Sakura brought the lapel of his jacket to her nose and his eyes widened when Sakura took a deep breath.

"It smells like you." She whispered and his blush deepened when Sakura brought her arms around his abdomen and buried her face in his chest. He could swear she would be able to hear the mad thumping of his heart and the fact that he was holding his breath.

Sakura inhaled again and hummed appreciatively as though confirming that it was the same scent on the jacket. "You smell good."

He needed to get away from her.

Steve cleared his throat and brought air to his lungs sharply as he gently pushed Sakura away from him to keep her at arms length.

A brief micro-expression of hurt flashed on her features and guilt clawed at him for being too rough. "Let's get you home before you pass out." Sakura nodded halfheartedly and her previously jovial mood dampened.

Sakura seemed to intuitively know the direction they were supposed to go because she took his arm and faced the general location of Stark Tower. Concerned she would fall into the street, Steve maneuvered her to the inside of the sidewalk. Her arms wrapped around his bicep, Steve refused to think of how close she was as Sakura leaned into him. Rubbing the back of his neck with his free hand, Steve mentally prepared himself for the slow moving trek back home.

After safely crossing the street to the next block, Steve broke the comfortable silence. "Were there stakes in your challenge?" He asked, now a bit amused and equally terrified that Natasha had been able to get Sakura in such a state.

Sakura shook her head, "I can't tell you, you'll tell Steve." Sakura mumbled her accusation and it took him a moment to decipher her words.

He looked down at her only to find Sakura had closed her eyes and was close to falling asleep while walking next to him. "It...had something to do with m-Steve?" He asked, nearly slipping.

Her pink locks shifted as Sakura nodded meekly. "But I don't have to say. Cuz I won." Her triumphant smile illuminated by the soft glow of the street lamps caused his own lips to quirk upwards in amusement and his gaze softened.

Though curiosity ate at him, he bit his tongue and refrained from asking follow up questions.

"I didn't know you could even get drunk." He commented instead.

Sakura gazed up at him completely open in her expressions and unguarded. "Of course I can." She said, as though he had said something blasphemous. "Can't let all the liquor Tony bought us go to waste."

Her nearly covered hand came up to her mouth, causing the cuff to slide down to her elbow. Looking like the cat ate the canary, Sakura giggled then put her pointer finger over her lips. "Shhhh. It's a seeecret." Sakura failed to whisper as she then tucked herself in more fully to his side.

As if remembering his previous comment, Sakura stopped in her tracks and shot him a petulant look. "And I'm not drunk." Steve could only chuckle at her obvious lie. It wasn't every day that Haruno Sakura let down her guard in front of others.

He found it endearing.

Three blocks later, when the tower was finally looming tall in their sights, Sakura sighed and dipped her head back to look up at the sky, pushing away from him and swaying in her high heels. Steve tried to get her to keep walking but she evaded him and slipped out of his jacket. She tossed the piece of clothing back at him and Steve had to lunge forward a bit to catch it while also keeping an eye on her. She absently moved her purse to a more comfortable position and teetered on her stilettos.

"Sakura." Steve pleaded as he held his free hand out for her. Surprisingly, she took his hand immediately and her forward momentum brought her forward until she was right in front of him with a lazy smile that threatened to undue him.

"Can I tell you a secret, Steve?" She asked, her small hand still in his between their bodies.

He gulped, not knowing what to expect but he nodded nonetheless. Sakura looked down to concentrate on what she was doing and forced his hand to only have his pinky out. She entwined his pinky with hers and shook their hands.

"What's the secret?" He asked a bit breathlessly.

"I've been a terrible friend." She admitted, gazing up at him innocently. "I-I tried not to be jealous. Honest."

"Jealous of who?" He inquired, confused as to what she could be talking about.

Her smile turned sad, almost bittersweet as she considered her next words.

"Tasha."

"What?" Steve asked, dumbly.

"And Bruce" She blurted.

He didn't know who Sakura was jealous of. Was she jealous that Natasha and Bruce were growing closer because she also had feeling for Dr. Banner? The inverse? Was she jealous that Natasha found a romantic partner? Jealous that Bruce had excuses to leave the lab?

"They've been getting chummy." Her smile turned into a frown. "I don't wanna be stuck with just Tony for experiment day."

Erring on the side of caution, Steve chuckled and reassured her. "I'm sure Tony will understand if you want to take a break." He draped his jacket over her shoulders and noticed she didn't slip her arms in.

"And she said she was your first kiss since being unfrozen." Sakura let out a defeated sigh while he struggled to think of a way to back track out of this topic. His cheeks heated at the reminder of the kiss he and Romanoff shared while hiding from STRIKE agents back in D.C. He didn't want Sakura to get the wrong idea and he could only guess as to how Natasha had described the kiss.

"Not fair." He could hear the pout in her voice. "I-mmm." Sakura shook her head and trailed off.

Steve coughed nervously and took the chance to steer the conversation away from the kiss. "So, Romanoff and Dr. Banner, huh?"

Sakura turned her head to look up at him, a serious expression on her features for the first time tonight.

"Don't call her that."

"What?"

"Nat doesn't like it when you call her by her surname." Sakura informed clearly.

"Did...did she tell you that?" Steve asked. Sakura shook her head and her pink locks flew wildly before settling.

"You can tell." She said before trying to point to her nose but failing to get it quite right as she hit her cheekbone then the bridge of her nose. "Tasha respects you." Her voice quieted, "it hurts her that you don't consider her a friend."

"I do think of her as a friend." He insisted.

Sakura smiled proudly. "I know. I told her so."

Not for the first time that night, a sharp pang stabbed his heart at how Sakura could disarm him in a second.

They made it to the Avenger's floor without incident when Sakura broke away from him to seat herself on the living room couch.

Disheveled, she fumbled with the straps on her heels, her hand-eye coordination not as refined due to the alcohol.

Taking pity on her, Steve knelt in front of her to do it. He tried not to notice her smooth thighs as he lowered himself to the floor. Tried not to notice that Sakura immediately gave up and trusted him to take care of this small need.

Steve set her strapped heels down neatly next to the couch and gazed up at her. The tender look in her eyes shocked him into silence and he noted that his jacket had once again slipped off her shoulders. Sakura leaned forward and reached up to cup his cheek. He tensed at the contact of her warm hand against his jaw and fought not to lean into her touch.

"We should get you to bed."

Sakura smiled and her head bobbed lethargically in agreement.

Sakura leaned back and raised her hands for him.

Lips quirked upwards in amusement, Steve stood up and took her hands to pull her up.

* * *

Sakura swayed at the sudden head rush from standing and giggled as she pressed her forehead against Steve's chest.

Alcohol was dangerous and she knew in the back of her mind, she would regret this tomorrow morning.

But that was a problem for future Sakura and easily remedied by chakra.

The next thing she knew, Steve was opening her bedroom door for her and turning on the light. He led her further into her room, passing her desk and dresser to pull back her covers. Sakura looked down to grab her purse and take her cross body strap off without stumbling. Steve took her bag and placed it on her nightstand wordlessly.

Sakura once again flopped down and nearly fell backward. She looked up at him with a lazy smile and half lidded eyes, suddenly very tired. She could easily fall to her side and let Steve tuck her into bed but something kept her sitting.

"Good night, Sakura." He whispered.

 _Don't go._

When he turned to leave, Sakura reached out and grabbed the edge of his shirt by her fingertips.

"I lied earlier." Sakura admitted, eyes now cast downwards at the floor as Steve stilled.

She felt him turn back to her and Sakura bit her bottom lip, her fingers still holding onto his cotton shirt. Her heart thundered in her ears but she needed to do this or she would go crazy.

Chasing Sasuke for years only to be rejected and discarded left Sakura wary of putting herself in a similar position again. She'd already chickened out earlier but Natasha was right. Rejection was better than this emotional limbo she found herself in, jealous of a dead woman who Sakura had never met. Nat wouldn't set her up to fail and Sakura knew the other woman had more intel than she let on. Sakura was also drunk enough that the tight hold she had on her emotions loosened.

"I-I care about you Steve." Her words were quiet, hesitant as her voice trembled slightly. She let go of his shirt and Sakura clasped her hands in front of her, still refusing to look up.

"Sakura?" He asked, kneeling again.

An eternity passed before he tentatively tilted her head up by cupping her face. Sakura peeked at him through her lashes and felt his thumb brush softly on her cheek, over the blush that was certainly there.

She took a small breath to brace herself. Her body was already warming by his closeness.

"I like you." Sakura watched in fascination as a myriad of emotions flashed across his features, bewilderment, embarrassment, shock, and something she couldn't really describe.

"I care about you too, Sakura. But you're drunk." Steve's smile was utterly disarming but there was a hint of pain.

Did he think she was saying these things because she was drunk?

There was another swipe of his thumb on her skin and Sakura turned her head to catch the digit with her lips. Sakura heard the sharp intake of breath and hope bloomed in her chest when he didn't draw away.

Sakura's palm landed on his solid chest though she'd aimed for his shoulder. Her fingers tightened into a fist, crinkling his shirt instantly. Sakura leaned forward as she pulled him in by his shirt and kissed the corner of his lips.

Her head, heavy from the alcohol still swimming in her system fell onto his shoulder and Sakura closed her eyes, too tired to keep them open.

Her lips brushed his neck and Sakura felt him gulp as her warm breath ghosted across his skin. She couldn't help but smile as she mumbled something unintelligible and fell asleep, still clutching him.

* * *

Sakura woke groggily with a throbbing in her head and a dryness in her mouth. She blinked her eyes open but couldn't see anything past the pain in her head. She was laying on her side and didn't want to move and risk making her condition worse.

That was the last time she accepted a challenge from Nat.

Sakura uncurled her numb fingers from her blanket and stretched her hand, bringing some feeling back into her digits before she brought her hand up to her temple. Within moments, her splitting headache was gone and a cool relief washed through her.

Thank goodness for chakra and an alcoholic mentor.

Sakura leaned her body forward to roll over, wondering why it felt like her head was resting on a rock and met something hard. Confused, Sakura blinked hard and opened her eyes fully, only to see dark gray fabric spanning her bed that was decidedly _not_ her blanket. Based on the relative darkness in her room, Sakrua knew it was the early morning hours and the sun hadn't risen yet. There was more than enough time for her to get some extra sleep.

Her brows drew together in confusion when the fabric _moved_. Up...down...up...

Green eyes followed the line towards the top of her bed and her lips parted in surprise as she even held her breath.

She knew that jaw line.

Sakura's mind instantly went to how she was going to extract herself without waking him. She was using his arm as a pillow and she knew Steve was almost as light a sleeper as she was. Her other arm was trapped between her body his. She could feel the dress she still wore which hopefully meant they hadn't done anything she didn't remember.

 _What a waste that would be._

Mentally shaking that dangerous line of thought, Sakura exhaled quietly as she remembered how to breathe again.

Thankfully, their legs weren't tangled together and from the corner of her eye, Sakura could see tell that they were in her room. How possible was it for her to sneak out of her own bed.

And leave Steve to wake up in her room, alone?

Terrible idea. It would only make things more awkward later. It would be better to just get it over with, like ripping a bandaid. Just suck it up and take care of it, she told herself.

Sakura looked around for anything to help her and noticed a part of Steve's shirt over his stomach that had been wrinkled and stretched out.

Had she done that?

She'd clung to him the entire _night_?

Mentally berating herself, Sakura then noted that the reason why their legs weren't intwined was because Steve had chosen to sleep on top of her comforter. Ever the gentleman, Steve had tucked her into bed and then placed a barrier between them. A part of her was charmed.

Sakura had been about to put on her big girl pants and wake him to apologize when Steve turned towards her, causing the bed to dip further. Her eyes widened and she inhaled sharply. He draped his arm over her waist and tucked her under his chin, holding her tightly with his arm crossed over her back, enveloping her completely.

His warmth seeped into her within moments.

Steve held her like she was precious. If she wasn't so nervous, Sakura could have easily fallen back into a deep sleep feeling completely safe. In fact, she could get used to this.

She took a shuddering breath, her heart racing as heat flooded her cheeks.

No way to sneak out now.

Sakura swallowed thickly and practiced the words in her head.

 _Hey Steve, sorry I got super drunk last night. Thanks for taking care of-_

Sakura heard someone bump into a wooden object in the hallway followed by female whispers and shushing.

The girls were back. Sakura had probably heard the elevator, explaining why she had woken up at this ungodly hour. But...Natasha's room was on the other side of the hall and Darcy's guest room was on a different floor.

They were checking up on her.

Startled, Sakura shoved Steve away from her with more strength than she'd intended.

Unfortunately, in his alarm at being roused from his sleep so suddenly, Steve held onto Sakura and they both tumbled to the floor in a mass of limbs. The startled yelp caught in her throat as Steve was somehow able to take the brunt of the fall and Sakura landed solidly atop him. Thankfully, they narrowly missed hitting her book stand and the carpet muffled the sound of impact.

As soon as they landed, Sakura straddled his abdomen, pushing herself up with her hands on his chest before one covered his lips to keep him quiet as she heard the footsteps come closer. Her already short hem was bunched around her hips, revealing her entire thigh. Steve tensed beneath her at their inappropriate position but didn't move to throw her off.

 _Please, please, please tell me they didn't hear that._

There was a light tap at her door and Natasha's voice carried through the wood. "Sakura, how are you doing?"

Nat didn't _sound_ drunk. She felt Steve's heart race through the hand she held over his chest and didn't know if it was from the fall or the fear of being caught.

Sakura cleared her throat and turned her head towards her door, still on top of Steve. "I'm okay. Don't come in, you're just gonna make me nauseous again."

There was a pause at the door and Sakura bit her lip.

"Cap wasn't in his room." Came the suspicious reply.

"We wanted to thank him for taking care of you." Pepper called, probably more than a little tipsy judging by how the blonde slurred her words and spoke louder than necessary.

It seemed Nat had taken it upon herself to be the responsible one. Or, it could be the fact that she was Russian and could drink anyone but a super soldier and a god under the table.

"I'm not his keeper." Sakura said instantly. "He's probably out jogging or something."

"What? Boooo." Darcy complained, sounding the most intoxicated of the three.

"We tried so hard to get you two-." Sakura could _feel_ the blush rising from her neck to her cheeks as well as Steve's intense scrutiny which she pointedly ignored.

"Go away, I'm tired and hungover because of you." Sakura whined, trying to sound like she was still in bed as she interrupted Darcy.

"Snappy, snappy. You wouldn't," Darcy hiccuped then continued without missing a beat, "be so cranky if you listened to me and got some hanky panky."

Sakura wanted nothing more than to let the ground swallow her whole and for the entire night to start over.

"Darcy!" Pepper hissed, quieting the younger girl.

"Alright." Natasha still sounded skeptical but was giving her a reprieve. "Feel better, Sak."

She sighed in relief. "Thanks Nat, glad you're all home safe."

"Good night." Came Darcy's sing-song tone. "We'll get him next time!"

"Night."

As soon as the footsteps departed, Sakura scrambled off of Steve, as quickly as she could and jumped to her feet.

She cleared her throat awkwardly and apologized, unable to look him in the eye. Steve stood up more measuredly and she heard a rustling of fabric as he placed her blankets back on her bed. Sakura straightened out her dress, tugging it down, then pulling it back up to keep her breasts from spilling out from the top. Damn Darcy for getting her into this thing. She swore it was skimpier than she remembered.

"Um...thank you for taking care of me last night." She laughed nervously and tucked her hair behind her ear as she still refused to look at him.

She heard him take a step closer and Sakura took a retreating step back, then another, and another until her bare back met her cold wall. Her back arched at the shock of the sudden change in temperature on her skin. A part of her considered simply using the body flicker technique to leave the room but another part of her refused to run.

"Sakura." Part plea and part order, her skin prickled with awareness. He was close but there was still room for her to maneuver away if she wanted. She shivered and forced her gaze to his eyes for the first time that morning.

 _Oh._

Sakura wasn't sure which of them moved first but his hand was on her waist and she rose to her tip toes and angled her head to meet his kiss. Her hand was on his nape as his short hair brushed against her fingers. Sakura poured the feelings she had tried to deny for the past few weeks into the kiss while Steve kissed her just as deeply. His other hand went to her waist and Sakura shuddered, toes nearly curling from a _kiss_. Their lips moved together almost desperately as the pent up emotions spilled over. But there was still restraint as both of them knew it was too early for more than this.

When they finally drew back for breath, Sakura kept her eyes closed, wanting to remember the feel of his firm lips against hers for a little while longer. The hand at her waist moved and Steve touched her cheek with the tips of his fingers tenderly, coaxing her eyes open.

Sakura cleared her throat.

"It's still late...or early, depending on how you look at it. We could sleep for a few more hours." She suggested quietly.

"I'd like that."

Steve's smile did something to her insides as her heart skipped a beat.

* * *

 **Drunk Sakura is the best.**


	16. BuckySakura: Heartstrings Pt1

**Bucky/Sakura - Shinobi Themes Challenge #40: Heartstrings**

 **Thank you for the reviews and continued support! It means a lot to me.**

* * *

The bomb went off earlier than it should have but the target had been eliminated as ordered. She ran from rooftop to rooftop towards the rendezvous point, blending into the dark night while the sirens and panic filled the streets below. The matte black mask over her nose and mouth was stifling but she knew that if she took it off like last time, there would be punishment. Three blocks away from the pick up spot she stopped, pressing her back against a ventilation shaft and gasped for air that wouldn't fill her lungs.

She could still hear the echoes of the screams.

 _Kill that part of you._

 _Don't feel._

 _You are a tool._

 _You are nothing without us._

 _Don't think, obey._

Her chest felt like it was about to burst and a headache was forming behind her eyes. She removed the black goggles and looked down at herself for injuries but found none.

Her head.

It was being split open then put back together with lava. She crushed the goggles in her hand, sending shards of glass into her palm and clenched her teeth so tightly, she felt it over the migraine she had.

The sound of a door opening drew her attention to the entrance to the roof. She straightened at the two agents in full tactical gear holding Galil MARs. They scanned the roof then approached her with their rifles pointed at her. Knowing she had done something wrong once again, she allowed the two men to take her. They took her down the stairs of the five story apartment complex. With one man at each side holding onto her arm, the stairwell was barely enough for them to stand side by side. There was a black SUV waiting for them at the curb and the two agents herded her into the back seat, squishing her between them once again.

The man in the suit was waiting for her, a displeased look on his clean shaven face as he sat across from her in a rear facing seat.

"You didn't come to the meeting point on time," he chided.

The car screeched forward and she looked down, glad that her mask covered most of her face.

"My head," she began explaining quietly.

"Ah." She flinched at the harsh tone. "It wouldn't hurt so much if you didn't fight the programing."

"Did we have this much trouble with the previous asset?" An agent asked.

She bit her cheek to keep her questions at bay. They didn't like it when she questioned them.

"Hmm. They had the luxury of keeping him on ice until the technology caught up with what he required. This one is just being stubborn."

They were stopped at a light when her handler questioned her again.

"Mission report."

"Target is deceased. I await further instruction," she said stiffly, as she raised her gaze to his. Her temples were throbbing, blaring at her constantly with something she couldn't decipher.

"Good." He looked to the other agent. "Prep her when we get there."

Dread filled her at the thought of what that meant.

She didn't like the chair. But it did ease her headache for a time after the pain.

Maybe...this time her headache wouldn't come back.

* * *

They were all gathered around the television watching the news break that four senators, two aids, and six bystanders had been killed in an explosion leaving a presidential rally in New York. The number was expected to rise as those injured by the blast were rushed to three nearby hospitals. As the chaotic bits and pieces of information was being relayed, no one in the room wanted to be the first to speak.

Bucky wanted to suggest that someone from the team help the first responders but without a lead on who had carried out the attack, the medical aid was best left to the EMTs.

Finally when the last security footage of a masked person near the detonation site was being replayed by the network, Tony silenced the TV and faced the others.

"Not gonna mention the elephant in the room?"

"Hydra's still out there," Natasha said.

"They're like bedbugs, miss one and you've got another infestation." Clint joked as he crossed his arms.

"And they've got a new soldier."

There was a beat of silence as they let the threat sink in. Bucky noticed more than a few eyes shift towards him, gauging his reaction. Steve was the most concerned for him as his friend stood and placed a firm hand on his shoulder. It embarrassed him that they would be walking on glass near him regarding Hydra but he understood why.

Hydra had kept him for decades as the Winter Soldier. It was only thanks to Steve and Tony that he was even walking around as a free man. Hydra's new asset could be someone just like him. Though it didn't make sense, a part of him felt responsible for the actions of the new Winter Soldier.

"J, let me know when you're done with the profile."

"I've just completed it, sir." Tony sat down on an empty leather seat and took a sip of his scotch. "The new Hydra asset is five feet, four inches. Approximately 120 pounds."

"Kinda...tiny for a super assassin created by a secret society of Nazis isn't it?" Tony quipped.

"The asset is a woman."

"I believe Agent Romanoff is right, sir. However, there are no other camera angles and her face is covered so I haven't been able to run facial recognition."

The reminder of the full mask sent a chill down Bucky's spine. He wouldn't wish Hydra asset programing on anyone, let alone a woman. He thought he finally put Hydra behind him and the Avengers believed they'd thwarted the organization's plan when they dismantled SHIELD.

It seemed Clint was right. They would never be free of Hydra until every member was rooted out.

"Well, missing persons isn't going to help. Not when they could have picked her up from anywhere from the past fifty years and kept her on ice all this time." Clint analyzed.

Tony stood and drank down the rest of his scotch. "Look through any other surveillance footage in the area for our masked friend. She didn't just disappear in smoke."

"Yes, sir."

"And find me anything you can on the bomb, the people killed in the blast, and those closest to them."

"Compiling the information now, sir."

Clint stood and rolled his shoulders. "I'll check in with Fury, let him know we've got a Hydra situation and see if I can get my hands on the witness statements."

They were all fully prepared for the long nights until they found the remaining cells of Hydra and their new asset.

* * *

 **I went through a few themes with Bucky and this is the one I liked best. I'm not too sure how many parts this one will have but here is the beginning. I can go back to the drawing board. So let me know whether you liked it or not.**


	17. ThorSakura: Dreams Pt2

**Thor** **/Sakura - Shinob** **i Themes Challeng** **e #18: Dreams Pt.2**

 **Dango Town: I have Aquaman in the works somewhere in my mind but I don't know where he is on the list.**

 **Thank you PrincessSerenity, Guest, and White Leopard! The Bucky one was definitely a struggle for me to get down so I'm glad you guys enjoyed it. I love the way Bucky and Steve's friendship was portrayed in the movies so it was hard to find an angle for Sakura to fit into things.**

* * *

Ordered to lay down on a white examination table, Sakura tried to remain calm as Eir, the head healer turned on the soul forge. Fires were placed around the room, giving minimal light but a subtle warmth. The medic in her, used to the brightly lit hospital rooms in Konoha and Tony's lab found Asgard's set up lacking.

How could they see anything?

She couldn't even tell what color the walls or the drapes were.

Sakura could sense Thor hovered nearby though he allowed the healers some space to walk around the table and take notes. She took a small breath and turned her head to give him a smile in assurance which Thor returned. The soul forge brought up her image above her while Eir manipulated the controls. A few tweaks later, the substance within her could be seen in the soul forge.

"It's in my chakra pathways." Sakura remarked, reaching up to point to the trail the red mist was making in her system.

"Be still." She brought her arms down flat and huffed at the strict order.

Old grouch. It wasn't her fault that they'd gotten here this late. It was mid afternoon back in Konoha.

In hindsight, she should have told Thor she was well enough to rest for the evening and get examined in the morning.

She watched as Eir kept tinkering but it was becoming more and more clear that the healers didn't know what it was either. Eir's frown deepened as the red substance moved from chakra point to chakra point but settled most of its mass near her yin seal. Sakura nearly crossed her eyes to see the red mist recreated in the image above her head.

How was it possible for this thing to be attracted to her chakra network and yet be a foreign substance to her world? The substance could also simply be attracted to energy. It would explain why it was near her yin seal, the bulk of her chakra.

The healers whispered to each other on Sakura's right, increasing her anxiety and sense of dread.

This room needed to be brighter.

Suddenly, white light streamed down from above her, causing Sakura to wince and squint her eyes, turning away from the blinding rays.

She heard the healers nearest to the table take hurried steps in retreat and more than one startled gasp, only adding to Sakura's confusion.

A large warm hand landed softly over hers, and another cupped her nape. Sakura opened her lids to see Thor near her, bathed in the new artificial light above them. His stormy blue eyes in such close proximity shocked her. It seemed her sudden dazed silence was cause for concern because Thor swiped his thumb over her cheek and jaw as if to calm her.

Sakura focused her eyes on the rest of the room which was now perfectly illuminated. She could see each carving in the stone walls and pillars. The few healers in her line of sight appeared almost fearful as they huddled together.

"Are you alright, my lady?" Thor asked, bringing her attention back to him.

Sakura nodded and looked up at the new light source. The soul forge had been turned off, giving her a clear view of the now modern light bulbs hovering in the air. They were lit although they weren't attached to anything to give them power.

"Did I do that?" She asked, as she rose to a sitting position on the table.

"Yes, do you know how you did it?" Thor asked, following her up, his hands still steadying her though she was in no danger of falling.

"I just thought it would be helpful for this room to be better lit." Sakura remarked. She could tell by his forced smile that something was wrong.

"You don't know what this is." Thor shook his head and Sakura briefly looked down in defeat before Thor cupped her cheek, silently asking her to look at him.

"I promise you, we'll find out." He said with conviction.

She had no doubt he would certainly try his best. But she knew it was something he couldn't guarantee.

"And we'll find a way to get it out of you." Sakura searched his eyes and saw his concern for her.

Her heart dropped.

"It's killing me." She whispered.

His hesitation in answering her was enough.

"What is the meaning of this?" The stern male voice seemed to cast an unnatural echo around the room. Everyone in the room stood a little straighter as a man dressed similarly to Thor strutted in with two guards flanking him. There was a silent dismissal as the healers curtseyed and quietly filed out of the room. The guards stood by the doorway, looking about as imposing and expressionless as royal guards should.

Sakura hopped off the table and bowed, unsure if she was supposed to have curtseyed instead. There were grass stains on her elbow pads and she knew that there was dirt on her knees. Feeling under-dressed and unkempt, Sakura was reminded she had just come from training with Team Seven.

"King Odin, I apologize for the intru-"

"The arrangement was that she was to use the Bifrost and nothing more." Sakura winced at the scathing tone Odin directed at his son but bristled at the way he had cut off her apology. If she had known it would get him in trouble, Sakura wouldn't have agreed to come to Asgard or would have at least requested a shower and a change of clothes before confronting the King.

Thor took a step forward, bringing himself between her and his father, either in an attempt to shield her from the King's wrath or to protect Odin from the energy within her, Sakura didn't know. Her current ire directed at the King of Asgard could be dangerous so she made an effort to control her emotions, and she let his dismissal of her slide.

"Father, she is ill."

"She is mortal. Illness is their defining trait." Odin snapped as he stopped to inspect the lights she'd made. He waived his hand over the air, palm facing the floating light bulbs. Sakura's eyes widened when nothing happened.

Odin tried again and muttered something under his breath that Sakura barely made out.

"Impossible." Odin's intense gaze shifted back to her, partially obscured by Thor's body. Sakura fought not to cower behind Thor and brought a hand to his arm to let him know she was okay. The power Odin exuded was night and day from the calming influence of Thor's presence. Odin commanded the room and the very air seemed to change, reminding her a bit of Kakashi's killing intent the first time she experienced it.

Odin stared down his son and Thor reluctantly took a step to the side to allow the King to approach her. Sakura stood a little straighter and attempted to remain calm.

Before she could lower her arm, Odin caught her wrist in a firm grip. The energy within her swirled just beneath her skin, ready to lash out but she somehow stamped it down.

 _Don't harm Thor or his family._

 _Don't harm anyone in Asgard._

Odin held her arm out, locking her elbow in an uncomfortable but not painful position with her palm facing up. He then brought his other hand over her forearm, warming her but not touching her skin. Whatever he did seemed to make her chakra network visible and they could see the red substance flowing through her.

Odin released her and Sakura rubbed her arm, to replicate what he'd done to no avail.

"Do you know what it is, father?" Thor asked, checking on her with a gentle hand on her shoulder. Sakura nodded, appreciating his concern for her well being.

Odin looked between them, expression unreadable before turning on his heel.

"Come with me."

Thor's hand fell to her lower back as Odin led the pair to an adjacent room. The guards stayed where they were to which Sakura was grateful. She could keep the energy from defending itself from Thor and trusted that Odin wouldn't harm her. However, close proximity with unknown guards would make it difficult for Sakura to keep the substance in check.

Odin led them past rows upon rows of towering shelves filled with different books that Sakura ached to peruse. On the other side of library was a smaller room which only housed a thick, weathered book kept closed on a pedestal. Thor shut the door behind them and Sakura continued to follow Odin towards the book. The room was lit by a fire that seemed to be suspended in mid air above their heads.

That didn't seem safe but who knew what sort of magic was at play to keep the fire lit and the book protected.

"There are relics that pre-date the universe itself. What lies within her appears to be one of them." Odin explained as he opened the thick tome to a page near the front half.

Thor circled the pedestal to stand on the other side of Odin and scanned the pages a bit dubiously.

"Before the dawn of the universe and the nine realms there was darkness. The Dark Elves reigned absolute and unchallenged." Odin began. Sakura watched the pages seemingly come to life as the images moved on the paper.

"Born of eternal night, the Dark Elves come to steal away the light. I know these stories, mother told them to us as children."

"Their leader, Malekith the Accursed made a weapon out of that darkness, called the Aether." Odin explained, "While the other relics often appear as stones, Malekith was somehow able to forge the stone into a fluid, ever-changing."

"It seeks out host bodies, drawing strength from their life force." At that, Sakura looked up at Odin, who remained expressionless as he turned the page.

"Malekith sought to use the Aether's power to return the universe into one of darkness." Sakura noted that he hadn't actually explained what it was the Aether did or why Malekith felt he had to turn it into a fluid. In fact, there were more questions than there were answers.

"After eternities of bloodshed, my father, Bor finally triumphed, ushering in a peace that lasted thousands of years."

"The Aether was said to have been destroyed." Thor remarked as he faced Odin more fully.

"It's been hiding all this time in Konoha?" Sakura asked.

"Improbable but not impossible."

There was a beat of silence as Sakura absorbed the new information. A weight lifted off her chest simply by knowing what it was that flowed within her. It didn't escape her notice that Odin hadn't said anything about a way to get the Aether out of her.

 _Because they didn't know_ _how_...

"When I was sleeping, my mentor told me I created a powerful illusion, one I shouldn't have been able to create on my own." Sakura recalled. "And just now, I created the light bulbs." Sakura mentioned, as she also thought of how the illusions didn't _feel_ like a genjutsu.

Odin flipped to a page closer to the front of the book.

"The relics reflect a facet of the six essential elements of the universe. Space, time, mind, soul, power, and reality. The Aether was turned into a weapon of destruction but it was forged from the reality stone. The stone's power can be unpredictable and exceptionally dangerous without the stabilizing influence of one of the other stones. Its power over reality could create parallel universes or alternate realities, bring the dead back to life, manipulate memories, grant immortality, recreate limbs."

Sakura looked at the depictions of the Aether's power and frowned.

"Does that mean...that what I did wasn't just an illusion?" Sakura asked, her disbelief apparent. It would explain how the sharingan nor Odin were able to get rid of what she'd created. It _hadn't_ been a genjutsu.

Odin seemed to consider her question or was making a decision as to whether or not he should answer her.

Finally, he said, "yes."

"There must be a way to get it out of her." Sakura didn't listen to Odin's response as she mulled over everything that she'd learned and looked to her hands. She didn't feel different or powerful unless she felt threatened. Her chakra control was still impeccable and despite the fact that the Aether was in her chakra network, there weren't any disruptions to her chakra from its presence. The only real concern she had was that it seemed to be attracted to her yin seal.

"If the Aether was once a stone, couldn't we turn it back into a solid object again?" Sakura suggested.

The fact that Odin didn't flat out reject her gave her some hope.

"Father?" Thor prompted impatiently, as the question remained unanswered.

Odin looked between them and shook his head.

"It would require time for her to understand its power, to be able to harness it to a certain extent and use its own power to manifest itself as a stone again." Odin said reluctantly before turning away from the pedestal in contemplation.

"But her mortal body won't be able to take the strain. She won't last more than a few days." Her heart dropped at Odin's cold matter-of-fact tone. Though he clearly thought lowly of her as a mortal, Odin wasn't malicious and took no pleasure in her plight.

Still, the King also lacked any bedside manner whatsoever.

"Already, it's draining her life force." The tension was thick as Odin turned again to face the book and shut it closed while Sakura grappled with her decision to reveal her suspicions. The words were on the tip of her tongue but it was just a hypothesis that she had.

But it was the only one that they had.

"It isn't." Sakura announced, sounding more confident than she felt.

"My Lady?" Thor asked, hope in his voice as he rounded the book to her.

She took a steadying breath.

"I've been storing chakra for the past three years." Sakura looked up at him, finding it easier to speak while addressing Thor rather than Odin and pointed to the violet rhombus on her forehead. "If the Aether is drawing strength from my life force, it'll hopefully draw from what I already have stored."

"How can you be sure?" He asked a bit more quietly as the worry lines in his brow returned.

For the first time, it struck her how Thor had a face that should never frown. It made him look too serious, too much like Odin that Sakura found his frown almost cold. A smile brought out his boyish good looks and his charm.

"The soul forge," Sakura said abruptly as she shook herself out of her thoughts.

"It showed the Aether is in my chakra network and it was concentrated at my yin seal." Sakura explained, finding it more and more probable that her hunch was right.

"It could buy us some time for me to learn how to use it. If its power is rooted in manipulating reality and I'm already familiar with creating illusions, surely I can get it to turn back into a stone and leave my body." She had already used its power on two occasions albeit unconsciously.

The 'before it kills me', went unsaid although it was heavily implied and Sakura bit her bottom lip to keep the words from spilling out.

Odin was pensive but reluctantly accepted her hypothesis with a "perhaps."

"I can help her." A female voice declared at the door. They all watched as a woman in an elegant cream and white colored dress entered the already small space.

Beside her, Thor turned fully to greet the woman and Sakura followed his lead.

"Sakura Haruno, this is Frigga, Queen of Asgard. And my mother." Sakura looked from Thor to Frigga in surprise before bowing.

"Hello Queen Frigga, I'm sorry if we've woken you."

"It's alright, dear." Sakura's apology and embarrassment was thankfully cut short by Frigga's warm voice. "I can see it was an emergency." Frigga commented as she circled the increasingly cramped room to stand beside Odin.

"Imagine my surprise when I heard my son brought a woman to Asgard."

Heat flooded Sakura's cheeks at the implication.

"Frigga." Odin's warning seemed to have little effect.

"We don't want the Aether to remain in its form either, my love. It'll be easier to store and keep safe as a stone." Frigga's hand came up to Odin's breastplate in a placating gesture.

"Lady Sakura is very brave to offer to try to bend one of the most powerful objects in the universe to her will." The praise and respectful address Frigga gave her eased some of the tension in Sakura's frame. "I believe we should help her."

Odin and Frigga shared a look before he conceded with a curt, "very well."

Sakura could see the way Thor's lips quirked upwards at their display, clearly proud of his mother and grateful for her aid. If her life didn't hang in the balance, Sakura would be amused at how the stoic King of Asgard was easily swayed by his wife. There was clearly affection in their interaction and she wondered if Odin wasn't that unfeeling.

"Come with me dear, I'll show you to your room and we can begin in the morning." Sakura perked up at the sudden change and hastened to follow Figga's lead.

"Ah, um. Yes, your majesty." Sakura bowed her head to Odin and gave Thor a small smile before rushing out the door behind Frigga.

* * *

"I had hoped that your heart would return to Asgard and that you had learned your lesson." Odin said as soon as the two women closed the door.

Thor turned to his father, expression carefully blank.

"I see you've merely traded one distraction for another." Odin said derisively.

"If the Aether were to be released in her realm, it could have brought disaster to the all the realms." Thor defended.

"And if I had ordered her away or confined for the safety of Asgard, you would not have protested?" Thor froze, taken aback at the threat. Odin shook his head, already knowing the answer.

"When will you learn that human lives are fleeting? They're nothing."

"If not the Aether, it'll be something else. She will die within a few decades if she is lucky."

Thor kept silent though he wanted to argue. He knew this was a fight that he wouldn't win. Odin would never see Midgardians the way he did.

"I am telling you this not as the allfather, but as your father." Odin walked to the door. "You are ready. The time has come for you to take the throne. It's time you put Asgard first and mend your confused and distracted heart for the good of your people."

Thor stayed in the room with his thoughts, his father's words echoing in his mind.

He eyed the book containing the history of Asgard, disappointed that for all the information contained within it, it didn't have anything that could save Sakura's life.

* * *

 **Thank you to everyone supporting this pair. I'm having a lot of fun writing this pair and I already have a few senes for future chapters written down. It's gonna be spicy.**


	18. ClintSakura: Tadpole

**Clint/Sakura - Shinobi Themes Challenge #12: Tadpole**

 **No spoilers for Endgame. I'll try to refrain from referencing anything and will let you know in advance when I do.**

* * *

 _The first time Clint thought he might like her as a person had been when Sakura went out of her way to check on victims of the Chitauri invasion and offered her services to hospitals struggling to keep up with the amount of people that had been brought in. He'd always heard of her successes while he was at SHIELD but had never gotten a chance to work with her until the Avengers Initiative._

 _If Fury trusted her, that was enough for him. What surprised him more was that Natasha had taken a liking to Sakura._

 _The first time he thought that he might like her as a woman had been the first time the Avengers got together to celebrate as a team. She was absolutely stunning in a deep red cocktail dress. It was obviously something she had been forced to buy but it fit Sakura perfectly. Clint had done a double take, as did many of the other high level SHIELD agents in attendance._

 _He usually never reacted to a beautiful woman. With Natasha as a near constant fixture in his life and with the obvious SHIELD training, it was difficult to seduce him. With vibrant pink hair, a compassionate heart, and the ability to split a mountain in two, Sakura was different. There was just something about her that people were drawn to._

 _Maybe it was her almost otherworldly appearance but he couldn't take his eyes off her._

 _"Instead of standing here drooling a puddle, why don't you talk to her?" Nat suggested as she snuck up behind him, clad in a deep green dress._

 _Forcing his eyes away from Sakura, who was laughing at something Tony said, Clint turned his head to look at his oldest friend._

 _"I don't-"_

 _"-know what I'm talking about?"_

 _Clint scratched the back of his head in embarrassment as Nat finished his sentence. He couldn't be **that** transparent._

 _"You could do worse." Natasha observed as her eyes shifted to Sakura knowingly and her smirk widened. "She could do better."_

 _Clint laughed wryly. "Trust me, I know."_

 _Of course she could do better. She was currently flanked by two of the most intelligent people on Earth, one of whom was a certified billionaire. There was a literal god and a super soldier with a heart of gold so wholesome even Clint wanted to barf or swoon in his presence._

 _Then there was him. An orphan. A spy._

 _Just a man who could shoot an arrow really well, with a slightly crooked nose from being broken too many times to set right, a dilapidated family barn in the countryside he never did upkeep on, and barely two pennies to rub together. He was an average mess of a human adult._

 _It wasn't even a contest._

* * *

 _After losing everyone she'd cared about to some "World Conqueror," Sakura had sought refuge on Earth and was quickly scooped up by SHIELD and Fury. She didn't know where she would be if Fury hadn't been there for her. Maybe in a lab somewhere being experimented on, most likely dead or near death from the grief. For saving her life and giving her a purpose again, Sakura owed Fury everything._

 _But she wasn't happy._

 _How could she be when everyone she'd ever known was dead and she was still living._

 _Not knowing what else to do with her life, Sakura just went through the motions of SHIELD life._

 _Things were falling into a predictable rhythm and she didn't have to explain herself when Fury had concocted an entire life for her._

 _The first time Sakura had seen him shoot, she thought he must have given his soul to the devil for such a skill._

 _She was wrong._

 _He really was **that** good._

 _Sometimes she would see him after a particularly fantastical shot with an almost bored expression. Anyone else would be boasting or proud but Clint was nonchalant about the whole thing._

 _It wasn't until she had seen him practicing that she realized just how much effort Clint put in to being the best archer in the world. He pushed his body and mind as hard as Lee had to be a shinobi. The sudden comparison in her mind had sent a sharp pain through her chest so hot, Sakura thought she would collapse._

 _Clint still had something to prove and she could respect that._

 _She understood why Fury held him in such high esteem._

 _But she never wanted to see him again._

 _Seeing him would remind her of Konoha._

 _It wasn't until she had to get him out of bed for a mission that she realized Clint was a lazy bum covered in unnecessary bandages. She wasn't sure if he refused to come to her for healing because he thought it would inconvenience her or was he was just that lazy he would rather slap a bandaid on and call it a day._

 _Having him on a mission had been painful but hearing Clint speak made it easier to keep thoughts of Lee at bay._

 _Clint was witty and sarcastic, able to take things seriously but could also laugh at the ridiculousness of the situation._

 _When they took their second mission together, Sakura began to understand him a bit better. It was as though Clint feared becoming obsolete within the team. He **had** to push himself and continue to be extraordinary with his archery. In reality, he couldn't be further from the truth. Clint had already proven his worth to the Avengers a thousand times over and was an integral part of the team._

 _But she understood his reasons._

 _As the "weak link" in Team Seven for most of her life, Sakura knew exactly what Clint was grappling with._

 _She found a kindred spirit in him and as terrible as it was, Sakura found herself looking back at her memories of Konoha with fondness._

 _With each passing day, the grief lessened and she was healing._

 _She was moving on._

 _When she saw him sneak in a stray dog he'd found on the streets of New York, Sakura realized Clint might be the most beautifully flawed person she'd ever met. He was absurd and stoic, brutal and forgiving, precise and lazy._

 _A mission with him was never boring._

 _Life with him wouldn't be boring either._

* * *

Sakura was sitting comfortably on the living room sofa reading from one of the novels Steve recommended when Clint seemed to drag himself through the door and shuffled toward her. She barely looked up as he dramatically collapsed in a heap next to her, causing the couch to bounce at the sudden weight.

"I see training is going well." Sakura remarked sarcastically as she continued reading. The huff of air he let out caused her lips to quirk upwards in amusement at his expense.

Clint leaned his head on her shoulder, slouching further in his seat as he glanced at the book she was still devoting her attention to but didn't otherwise disturb her.

Minutes ticked by and Sakura soon found Clint with his head on her lap, his eyes closed.

She flipped a page.

Holding the book up with her right hand, Sakura brushed her fingers through Clint's sandy blond hair in the way she knew he enjoyed. She wasn't sure if he'd fallen asleep but she could tell he was fatigued from trying to keep up with Miles Morales, and Sam Wilson every other day.

With Scott Lang almost guaranteed to join them, it felt like their team was getting bigger by the minute. Not that she had any complaints.

Sakura was finally getting into the meat of the plot, her fingers pausing in her boyfriend's hair when Clint broke the silence.

"Hey, Sak?"

Her eyes scanned the pages increasingly faster as the protagonist and antagonist met in person for the first time. Her heart rate quickened in anticipation.

"Sakura."

"Mm?" She answered distractedly, clearly still engrossed in her book.

"I love you."

"Uh-huh...thanks." Sakura turned the page and pictured the showdown as the protagonist drew his sword. Clint sat up and Sakura barely noticed as he stood, stretching his back and rolling his shoulders.

Events were building, plot threads finally coming together and it seemed like the antagonist was cornered, ready to-

"Gimme your hand."

The spell of the novel broken from the odd request, sakura looked at him quizzically, reluctantly putting her book down beside her with her thumb still keeping her place in the story.

"Why?" She asked, with a heavy dose of skepticism and some irritation at being interrupted. He knelt in front of her so she wouldn't have to crane her head up to look at him.

"Just gimme." Clint reached for her free hand and she retracted her appendage, squeezing it behind her back in the space between her and the sofa.

She searched for some sort of trap in his empty hands and heard his exasperated sigh as he reached into his breast pocket. Whatever he drew out was small, covered entirely by his thumb and forefinger that Sakura couldnt see it.

"I'm trying to ask you to marry me so take my damn hand!"

Her lips fell open in shock as Clint carefully unveiled the ring in his hand, holding it up with the tips of his fingers.

"You're serious?" She asked, as she eyed the respectable tear shaped diamond ring with two crossing bands supporting the sides.

"We've been together for two years. If I don't take advantage of your bad judgment in staying with me now, you're going to get hit in the head eventually and come to your senses."

A smile broke across her face as she laughed and gave him her left hand. Clint slid the ring on without any difficulty but the band was a bit bigger than her finger. She re-adjusted it with her thumb as she stared at her hand in wonder, noticing that the angular shape made it appear almost like an arrowhead.

Sakura gazed at him with adoration, eyes watering in happiness as warmth flooded her chest. "It's beautiful."

"That's a yes, then? Because I feel like I should get this in writing or something." She lept into his arms, locking her hands over his nape to make sure he got the message.

"It's always been a yes."

Clint held her securely as their lips met, bringing her flush against him until she was nearly straddling him on the floor. His calloused fingers teased at the skin just under the hem of her shirt as the kiss grew more heated. Clint poured everything into the kiss. There was desperation in the way he held her, as though still afraid she would run away.

Silly man.

Just as Sakura was about to suggest they leave the living room, there was the sound of a door opening.

"Gah! I'm sorry, I didn't see anything." Miles' voice went up an octave in his distress as he promptly rushed out.

Sakura hid her burning cheeks by leaning her head on Clint's shoulder and had been about to draw away from him once she got her breathing under control but his arms tightened around her waist.

"Hey, Sak?"

"Mmm."

"You're the only one I'd want to grow old with."

Sakura kissed his cheek, wondering why on earth he had a Spongebob bandage on his temple and why she had missed it earlier.

"Movie rules. You can't say that or one of us will die within the week."

Clint chuckled and pressed his lips to her forehead. "Not if we board ourselves up in our room and never come out."

"Sounds like a plan. I have a few sick days left."

"Enough for the both of us?"

* * *

Natasha sighed as she watched her friend fidget with his bow tie for the hundredth time.

You'd think a spy for SHIELD would be better equipped to handle the pressure. Nat rounded the full length mirror and slapped Clint's hands away. She tugged the stubborn thing loose and pushed him a step back to give herself more space to work.

She could tell he forced his hands to his sides with some effort and again questioned whether this was the same Clint she saw in Venezuela.

"Don't tell me you're getting cold feet." She teased.

"I don't get cold feet."

Nat crossed one end of the tie over the other and smirked at the false bravado. Anyone could see he was a nervous wreck.

"Right." The sarcasm was thick.

"What if it was all the honeymoon phase of dating and it's all downhill from here?" Clint asked, eyes blown wide in alarm.

"You're an idiot."

"You're right. Does anyone have eyes on Sakura?"

"Pepper's got her." Nat reassured somewhat patiently as she made the finishing touches with measured fingers and patted his shoulder.

"Right now? She has eyes on her right now?" Clint asked as he needlessly adjusted himself in the mirror.

"She's not gonna bolt. For some inexplicable reason, Sakura loves you. She's hell bent on getting married."

Clint nodded and she thought that was the end of it.

"To me right? Sakura's hell bent on marrying me? Today? Tasha? Hey! Answer me before you leave! If Thor comes strolling down the aisle in a wedding dress I'm gonna put an arrow in him! God or-"

Nat silenced Clint with a closed door and shook her head.

One could only speculate what Sakura saw in that doofus. But even a normal blind man could see that the two somehow fit and Nat had known they'd be good together. Clint kept Sakura from being too serious. He always did have a way of pulling people out of despair.

On the other hand, Sakura gave him hope. A promise of a life beyond fighting and she centered him, made him more accountable. The man who had always wanted a family was finally starting a proper one. Natasha couldn't be happier for them.

* * *

Clint and Sakura were seated on the couch, his arm comfortably around her shoulders. Lucky was splayed out on the other side of Sakura with his head resting on her lap.

"Who soever is carrying Thor's fingerprints is I think the literal translation?"

"Yes, well, that's a very, very interesting theory. I have a simpler one." Thor remarked as he picked up his hammer with ease, something none of the Avengers had been able to do. "You're all not worthy." There were groans and protests as the group demanded to know the real secret behind mjolnir, much to Thor's amusement.

Newly married and having a great time with the other members of the team. The pair were sharing a quick kiss when a high pitched whine caused everyone to cringe and cover their ears.

The metallic sounds of an Iron Man suit entering the room sent a chill down her spine. Lucky, sensing the change in the air and the intruder lifted his head and growled. Sakura weaved her fingers into his golden mane, silently reassuring him and also keeping him from lunging in before they knew what they were up against.

"No."

It was one of Tony's Iron Legion, battered and falling apart at every point.

"How could you be worthy? You're all killers."

Lucky barked, jumping down from the couch aggressively as everyone who wasn't already standing stood.

"What mission?"

"Peace in our time." Two more of the Iron Legion bursted into the room, sending wood and glass splintering across the floors. While another pair came up through the floor. Sakura dove behind the couch while Clint rushed towards the weapons alongside Rhodey

Steve's quick thinking with the coffee table protected himself from a takedown but it also sent their glasses and beer bottles shattering. Whistling to get Lucky's attention, Sakura made a clone to hold his collar. She couldn't have him running on the glass and injuring himself.

Certain that her clone would take him out of harms way, Sakura stood, seeing chaos erupt around their living room. She leapt up to catch one of the suits and yanked it down with her strength alone. Finding purchase on the floor, Sakura tugged sharply, bringing it down to her level before it could shoot down at her. In the next moment, her fist was through its metal chest cavity, going straight for the power source.

The sound of a repulsor blast from the side forced her to jump away. She'd been doing a good job avoiding the blasts and the other suits when a metal hand clutched her ankle from below her. The suit it was attached to was barely functional, split at the waist but it kept her immobile long enough for another suit to lock her in its sights. She took the blast to the chest.

The back of her head hit the ground with a sickening crack, sending her to a daze. Belatedly, Sakura felt the memories of her shadow clone return to her as she lost the concentration necessary to hold the jutsu.

"Sakura!"

Clint looked up at Nat's cry of concern.

He hadn't been able to get to his bow and arrows **and** also get Cap's shield. Seeing her collapsed form right next to a hovering crazed bot, Clint immediately dropped what he was doing and rushed to her side.

Lucky got to her first. There was a purposeful way Lucky stood over her, crouched low, teeth bared and hovering protectively over her stomach.

Three things became absolutely clear even as Clint sprinted across the destroyed living space.

1\. These robots Tony created were going to be a bigger problem than they realized.

2\. Lucky was the best damn dog in the world.

3\. Sakura was pregnant and Clint didn't know whether to be ecstatic or horrified.

Sliding across the floor, Clint grabbed one of the guns that had been stashed around the room. He landed each shot but it only served to get its attention. Thankfully, Thor and Cap had been paying attention and a hammer through its head brought the robot crashing down.

Clint threw the gun away and fell to his knees, cradling Sakura's head in his lap, he checked her vitals. The repulsor shot had hit her chest, judging by the burn marks on her clothes but it didn't go much further than that.

Sakura opened her eyes with a wince.

"That was dramatic." Came Ultron's voice. "I'm sorry, I know you mean well."

Clint was distracted from the rest of Ultron's tirade as Sakura gingerly sat up and Clint was able to check the back of her head for further injuries.

Her hand glowed green as it hovered over her chest and then her head.

The sound of Thor's hammer going through the last suit brought him some relief but Clint had wanted to be the one to do it. Sakura brought his hands before her, palms facing up and she tsked.

When he glanced down, he finally noticed the pieces of glass imbedded into his palms and forearm from when he slid across the floors.

"I'm gonna need tweezers. We should address injuries first and also check on Jarvis before we get into a shouting match." Sakura called out as she stood and brought Clint up with her.

With everyone else only reporting minor scratches and bruises, Sakura led Clint to the medic room and ordered him to sit.

He watched her pick out the shards of glass with her brows drawn tight in concentration and he wondered if she was going to mention it.

"Sakura."

She let out a soft sound to let him know she heard him but otherwise didn't look up from her task.

"Are you pregnant?" Her fingers stilled and she finally lifted her gaze to his with shock on her features.

"You should have told me." He chastised, more harshly than he'd initially intended in his concern. Sakura went back to taking out the last few bits of glass from his skin.

"I was going to." She murmured, bringing a green glow to her hands once again and sealing his superficial wounds.

"I don't even know how you found out. I barely just found out myself, can't be bigger than a tadpole so I know I haven't gained weight." The last part came out as a muttered grumble as she put the tweezers away and faced him properly. At roughly five to six weeks along, there was a possibility that even she wouldn't have known about it. But her cycle had been late and erring on the side of caution, Sakura had taken a pregnancy test earlier in the week which came back positive.

"Lucky was protecting your stomach." Clint said, answering her question and taking hold of her hand as soon as she was done healing him. "Explains why he's been hanging around you more and more lately."

Clint brushed her toned stomach over her shirt with his fingers as he brought her hand to his lips to kiss her palm.

"We're going to have a baby." Sakura whispered as she cupped his cheek.

Clint nodded, bringing her into a tight embrace. "You're going to have a _very_ boring 8 months." He promised, kissing her forehead.

"You'd be wrong about that. Not when Tony's just made killer robots."

* * *

Tony was a little bummed Sakura and Clint had been **boring** enough to desire a small get together rather than a grand Avengers wedding. He assured Pepper that their wedding would be a thousand times better than a backyard barn. He would have gotten to give a best man speech but Romanoff had narrowly beaten him out of contention for the spot while Pepper had taken maid of honor right from under him.

The wedding had gone off without a hitch of course, thanks to Tony's immaculate planning.

Tony couldn't believe Barton had the guts to propose but he couldn't say he didn't see it coming. Clint and Sakura were sickening to be around sometimes with their unabashed and unapologetic happiness. Clint, Tony could understand. Clint felt like the luckiest man in the world.

But Tony didn't understand what Sakura saw in Clint that had her so smitten. To be honest, he didn't really want to know either. Whys didn't matter much when people were happy.

Now they were going to have munchkins running around before he and Pepper too. If Tony wanted their kids to have play dates, he'd have to get around to actually proposing to Pepper too.

Then again, a kid out of wedlock didn't sound too bad either. When did he ever do things the correct order, anyway.

An annoyed Pepper marching up to him in his office forced Tony out from his train of thought. He cringed, standing abruptly, ready to flee.

"Why is Clint under the impression he'll be taking our first born?!" She yelled just as the door closed behind her.

Strategically making his way to the other side of his desk, Tony tried to keep his distance and quickly scanned the room for anything heavy Pepper could chuck at him.

"I challenged him to a dart throwing contest." Knowing she would ask, he quickly explained, "we both bet our first borns."

"You what?! TONY!" Pepper seethed, chasing after him.

"No, wait, let me explain. I made a dart board guaranteed to get me a bulls-eye each time! He used a regular board." He cried, rushing to the opposite end of his desk. They'd all been various stages of drunk for Clint's bachelor party but that fact wouldn't have saved him from Pepper's ire so he didn't bring it up.

She froze in her tracks, narrowing her eyes at him and gritting her teeth. "A triple twenty is the highest score."

"See, if I knew that at the time, I would have tied."

 **"Tony!"**

* * *

 **Just wanted something fluffy and cute while also working on the next Thor chapter.**


	19. ClarkSakura: Leap of Faith Pt5

**Clark/Sakura - Shinobi Themes Challenge #29: Leap of Faith pt.5**

* * *

Sakura woke slowly, blinking back the harsh lights, it took a few seconds for her to adjust to the bright laboratory lights of the room she was in.

She was kneeling on the ground, her hands stretched out above her in a 'V'. The thick metal bands around her forearms and biceps kept her locked in place, unable to even stand to alleviate some of the strain.

The dim sound of a door opening alerted her to the man dressed in a white lab coat stepping into the glass cage that housed her. Behind him were lab tables filled with various tools and apparatuses. The only other major feature of the larger room was a tank filled with a green tinted water.

"Hoku said you would break your own hands if it meant getting free." The doctor said, explaining why her hands were positioned so far away in an uncomfortable way. She barely felt the prick of the needle as he drew her blood into a syringe as her arms were already numb. Sakura didn't know if it was from the sedative or from being unable to move.

 _Hoku._

 _That bastard._

Any sympathy she'd had for her comrade evaporated as soon as she'd been imprisoned.

With the sleeves of her shirt bunched at her shoulders, her Anbu tattoo was in clear view.

The man wiped at the tattoo on her right arm with gloved fingers, as if testing whether or not it was permanent.

"Who are you?" Sakura rasped, her mouth and lips unusually dry due to the sedatives.

"I am Professor Emil Hamilton." He stated, not unkindly as he continued with his task. "I'm not going to hurt you. Just following orders."

He walked to her other side, as though moving slowly would calm her.

She cleared her throat before addressing him.

"And what are your orders?"

He slid the vial containing her blood into into his coat pocket but still held the syringe in his hand.

"I have been tasked with creating a clone of you. Hoku intends to take you home for appropriate punishment."

Sakura looked at the man strangely.

"There's no way for us to return home." She whispered with some uncertainty.

"Of course there is." The new voice came from the door as a man dressed in a dark grey suit entered her prison. He had colder eyes than the doctor and looked to be the one in charge. A businessman, judging by his clothes and the way he was on his phone as he entered.

"I've had a team of scientists working on a way to take Mr. Hyuuga back to Konoha for weeks. They assure me they've discovered a viable method." He spoke with authority as he slid his phone away in his breast pocket

Though the man was bald he didn't appear elderly. He also looked vaguely familiar. Her confusion must have been evident on her features because the man introduced himself.

"My name is Lex Luthor, the last bastion against the Justice League for the betterment of humanity."

Sakura had heard the name in passing on the news when she was studying the dimension. There were rumors he was about to run for president? She couldn't remember fully and the news outlets didn't give him a high chance of success from what she remembered. There had been no mention of the fact that the man was very clearly unhinged.

From everything she'd gathered the last few weeks, the members of the Justice League were well loved and had a good relationship with the different governments of this planet. Nothing she had seen or heard about the Justice League implied any concerns other than the high collateral damage they tended to leave behind. Even then, there was a well stocked relief fund to handle all that.

"Please begin the process, Professor." At the dismissal, Hamilton left the glass case. Dread welled up inside her but Sakura chose not to dwell on it.

"Those eyes of yours could kill a man." He chuckled to himself. "I'm sure your relationship with Superman would have you think of me as a villain. But the real enemy to the world in this dimension is him."

Almost immediately, she shook her head. "You're insane."

"You've seen his powers, you know he could kill you with a flick of his wrist. Imagine what he could do to the rest of us if he felt like it." He said the words with such conviction, Sakura understood he spoke from a place of fear.

"Superman, Wonder Woman, the entire Justice League could enslave 7.5 billion people in a matter of days. If even that." The contempt in his voice was chilling but she could see his reasoning, misguided as it was.

He pointed to himself, still towering over her. "I see the danger they pose and I'm willing to do something about it. To prevent it. To save all of humanity against these would-be tyrants."

"And your plan to prevent that is to make a clone of me? What would that serve?" Her voice came out more strongly, anger fueling her though she had little strength to rip free as of yet. There was no telling what cocktail of drugs the Professor had injected while she had been unconscious. The synthetic components were taking her system a while to clear out. But even with all the chakra suppressors in the world, they couldn't account for her physical strength.

Everyone assumed Sakura's monstrous strength came from her chakra control. While using chakra made her blows more explosive, Tsunade's insane training regime had also increased Sakura's pure physical ability. Chakra wouldn't be necessary to get out of her bonds.

But for her to be captured like this for such a stupid reason was infuriating.

"Professor Hamilton has informed me you are Superman's soulmate." Finally, Luthor knelt to look at her fully, careful not to let even a stitch of his clothing touch the floor. Gripping her chin painfully with his cool fingers, he turned her head from side to side to better appraise her. With no room to jerk her head free from his hold, Sakura settled for glaring at him.

"You are a very beautiful woman. He's quite lucky."

She made sure to keep her expression blank. They didn't know anything for certain. It was all conjecture based on whatever mark Bizarro possessed.

"I'm told there is nothing more devastating to an individual than losing someone precious to them." He tilted her chin up to look at him as he spoke his next words. "Whatever he does to cope with that pain? It'll allow me to de-legitimize the Justice League and Superman. Show the public how dangerous they can really be."

Batman's words came back to her.

 _All it takes is one bad day to reduce the sanest man to lunacy._

"And if he kills you?" Sakura spat.

"There are contingencies in place and I have no doubt the rest of the Justice League will prevent the face of their little book club to fall from grace." He smiled. "And if he succeeds, I'll be a martyr. I'll be remembered as the man who warned the world of the danger, who led the charge while Superman will be remembered as a monster. The Justice League could never recover from the fallout."

"And if I kill you?" Sakura threatened.

Luthor eyed her shackles and chuckled, feeling safe enough to mock her.

"Then your boy scout will never be able to forgive you." He brushed her hair from her face, almost tenderly and bile rose in her throat at his falsely kind touch. "His moral code would keep him from loving you and that would destroy him too. A whisper at the back of his mind that his soul mate is a killer."

She was already a killer. She was a shinobi. But there was a difference between killing someone in her world and Superman's. The way Luthor spoke, Sakura got the impression his grudge was against Superman specifically.

"If your plan is to de-legitimize the Justice League and ruin Superman, you don't need a clone of me for that. You could just kill me." Sakura stated, wondering what his true game was.

"Smart too. But there's no point in killing you, Ms. Haruno. It would only give him something to pursue and only lead to my imprisonment." Luthor released her and stood to his full height, straightening out his suit and smoothing out non-existent wrinkles.

"No, I'll need someone to corroborate my series of events. Someone to testify against the Justice League and make accusations based on the treatment she endured at their hands. Who could call her a liar when she bravely takes the stand against her own soulmate. Don't worry, the technology has been improved since the failed attempt with Bizarro. Not even Superman will be able to tell the difference."

Giving her no opportunity to form a retort, Luthor walked out of her cell. He would have a clone of her betray the Justice League and Superman while she was sent back home.

There was no code or button on the door that she could see and it was clear that while Hoku had told them of her abilities, he couldn't give them the full information.

All she needed was some time. Already, Sakura could start to flex the muscles in her arms and move her legs.

She only needed a little bit of time and she could get herself out. But she had no idea how long the cloning process took. If they were successful before she regained full strength, she could be back in Konoha before she could get herself out.

* * *

Most of the main members of the Justice League along with Naruto, Itachi, and Pakkun were in attendance, seated in the conference room in the Watchtower. Giving a pug a seat at their table was something they'd never done before and something about it was off-putting to Batman but he pushed the ridiculousness aside and took the lead.

"Ground rules." Bruce said, addressing their guests from the front of the room. "We don't kill anyone in this dimension. Whatever rules of engagement you abide by in your universe, they don't apply here. We don't kill or torture. If you can't follow our lead, we'll leave the three of you here and rescue Sakura on our own."

"If that is a rule of yours, you'd be better off leaving Superman behind." Itachi said with narrowed eyes.

Bruce crossed his arms, indicating he wouldn't budge from this. It was a good thing Clark wasn't in the room. They didn't need his emotions getting in the way of planning. Understanding that this could be a trap specifically for Superman, he intelligently made the decision to absorb additional sunlight, enough to temporarily be invulnerable to kryptonite.

"He knows how to handle himself and we'll need him."

"We won't harm anyone from your world. However, Naruto and I will deal with Hoku ourselves." There was a pause as Bruce considered the terms and took a look at the expressions of the rest of the Justice League. With a nod from Batman, the Justice League accepted the conditions.

"Sakura's tracker stopped working here." Batman informed as the large screen behind him brought up a map and the coordinates. The map indicated Sakura's last known location somewhere over Gotham.

"You've had a tracker on her?" Barry asked, somewhat incredulously.

Bruce sent a sharp look at the speedster. Not only did the question not warrant an answer, but it could put their guests on edge.

"She's not in the city." Itachi spoke up and Bruce watched the dark haired man carefully. The utterly emotionless way the ninja had spoken unnerved even the caped crusader. While Naruto appeared serious enough given the circumstances, Itachi exuded a quiet intensity Bruce had only seen of Ra's al Ghul. Both were powerful, intelligent men who knew more than the rest of the room.

J'onn had called him potentially dangerous but with little options and needing to know more about Hoku, Bruce had reluctantly allowed the pair access. It was better than the alternative and the Justice League couldn't risk them getting in the way.

"My crows followed her to swamplands a few miles south of the city." Itachi continued.

Bruce imputed a few commands into the computer and brought up satellite images of Slaughter Swamp. The area wasn't very vast but it was highly dense and potentially treacherous from the ground. There were too many trees to get a visual of the hideout but if the perpetrator was who they suspected, they would be using a lot of energy. A few more seconds of typing and Bruce came up with a location based on heat expenditures during the night. It appeared the base was above ground and shaped as a dome.

"We have a location. What can you tell us about-" Naruto stood abruptly, cutting Bruce's question off.

"If we know where she is, we can't just sit around and talk! Sakura-chan needs-"

"Sakura is fine." Itachi finished curtly. "She's been trained well enough to handle herself. Batman is correct, we need to pool our information and resources." Itachi's levelheaded answer along with the obvious order to calm down seemed to work and Naruto took his seat, albeit with some reluctance.

"What can you tell us about how you two arrived here and Hoku. Why does he want to harm her?" Batman asked.

His hands on the table, Naruto clenched his fists in an effort to keep still.

"We thought Sakura-chan was dead. But her summons, Katsuyu claimed that someone had tried to summon her multiple times with Sakura-chan's blood. It took us weeks to track down the rest of the missing-nin and use their technique to come here. We thought Hoku was dead too. His team never returned from their last mission five months ago."

"Is there any chance his team came here with him?" Diana asked.

Naruto shook his head sadly. "During our fight. He said he was the only one who survived his mission and that Sakura-chan had betrayed the village. But Sakura-chan would never do that! She-" Naruto drifted off and Bruce could only guess what he'd been about to say. Her loyalty to her people and her dimension was obvious to anyone who interacted with her those first few days. Sakura

"Hyuuga Hoku will be dealt with. He will not harm her. What we require is information on those from your world who have taken Sakura." Itachi steered the conversation after Naruto's outburst. More than a few members regarded Itachi for his statement, gauging whether or not they should ask how he was so confident. Considering the time sensitive nature of their current mission, Bruce let it go and began explaining Bizarro and the android they'd fought for the first time.

* * *

 **I've been sitting on this for a while because I didn't really know how I was going to write the next parts but I finally decided to put it out there in the hopes I'll get some feedback and ideas.**


	20. SteveSakura: Sing Me a Song

**Steve/Sakura - Shinobi Themes Challenge #38: Sing Me a Song: Someone You Loved by Lewis Capaldi**

 **I somehow got inspired and wrote this fic in three days. The idea just wouldn't leave my mind as I've been obsessing over this song. I was also planning on splitting this up into two parts but I just couldn't seem to stop so here it is, my longest chapter so far.**

 **Set during Captain America: The First Avenger**

* * *

 _Taking a deep breath to calm herself, Sakura somehow forced her feet to ascend the stairs and walked out to the podium. She passed the large black and white picture surrounded by fresh flowers and averted her eyes in favor of looking out into the large crowd that had gathered._

 _It was a sea of terse male faces, all in full uniform. The President and Vice President sat beside their wives. Military officers sat with their heads high though no one seemed particularly attentive at her taking the stage._

 _She gripped the sides of the podium to keep her hands from shaking and inhaled another calming breath._

 _As she met the eyes of the Howling Commandos seated at the front, she gave them a small smile, the familiar sting gathering behind her eyes as she read the sorrow in their features._

 _"My name is Sakura. As many of you know, I worked with Doctor Erskine on Project Rebirth." Sakura began, her voice strained but strong. "Colonel Philips asked me to say a few words as I was the last person..." Her voice trailed off quietly as she prayed people in the audience assumed it was her nerves._

 _She cleared her throat and continued her speech from a different place._

 _"Colonel Phillips liked the quote, 'wars are fought with weapons but they are won by men and we have the best men.' We still have the best men but now, we find ourselves a man down." Her knuckles turned white on the wood._

 _"We can only guess how many people were saved and how many years of war were avoided from his sacrifice. C-Captain Rogers was the only one Dr. Erskine believed in and we all found out what the doctor saw in him. A man with a strong will, with the highest moral convictions of anyone I'd ever known. Captain Rogers has sacrificed his body, life and soul to this country and has inspired millions not only in America but around the globe to stand up and fight against Adolf Hitler and Hydra. Captain Rogers was a good man before he ever became a great soldier."_

 _She looked out into the crowd. "I hope his memory continues in the lives he's saved, the soldier he's befriended, and the millions he has inspired. His-" Sakura exhaled a shaking breath._

 _"His last words to me were that his actions were his choice. He hadn't been ordered to go after Schmidt. He hadn't been ordered to drive the plane down to save the city. He knew as soon as he took the controls and realized the location had been set that he had a choice."_

 _She thought back to the beginning of this blood soaked war and the events that led her to where she was._

 _"There's a beautiful word I learned while I worked as a nurse on Pearl Harbor. Hawaiians call it 'Kokua', it has no direct meaning in English but it's the idea of selfishness, responsibility, doing something for others not because of personal gain, or gratitude, or recognition. But out of kindness. A desire to help another person because it is the right thing to do."_

 _"Captain Rogers personified that word. He stood for everything that meant. That plane could have gone down without anyone knowing he was on it and he would have made the same decision."_

 _"Even before the serum, before being known as Captain America. Captain Rogers was a man willing to sacrifice himself for others."_

 _She lost herself to the memory._

 _"In front of 30 training soldiers, in front of Colonel Phillips, Dr. Erskine and myself, St-Captain Rogers threw himself on what he believed to be a live grenade. And after the success of the serum, he hadn't changed. I...I am forever grateful for his service...and his sacrifice for this great country and we remember him now, as a hero. One not defined by the strength or success of Project Rebirth but by the willingness to sacrifice himself for the safety and wellbeing of others. A true American icon and the face of this war effort."_

 _"Thank you." Sakura pried her hands off of the podium, her fingers numb from the strain she had put on them. With her head ducked down, hot tears tracked her cheeks as she rushed off to the sound of applause._

 _Safe from the eyes of the crowd, Sakura shook away the funeral coordinators, Howard Stark, and Colonel Philips. Excusing herself to the ladies room, Sakura hurried past the concerned and sympathetic faces. She nearly fell to the floor as the tears blinded her but Sakura refused to curl up and turn into a mess in public._

 _God. Her lungs felt so heavy. Her chest felt too tight. She took in a shuddering breath and let out the sobs she had held back. The pitiful sound of her grief stricken heart echoed in the bathroom but she couldn't bring herself to care._

 _He was gone._

 _It had been three weeks since the plane went down. Any effort to locate him ended in failure. The vigil they had and the hope of finding him had dwindled to the point a funeral had been necessary to move on from his absence and provide some semblance of closure._

 _There was still a war going on._

 _They couldn't waste their time on a single soldier who was most likely dead._

 _Not when they'd found the source of Hydra's weapons in the ocean floor._

 _But that didn't keep her from missing him. She missed his sass, his smile, his ability to instill confidence._

 _They were all pleading with her to continue the project, to create another super soldier. But she hadn't been able to find another person who could take Steve's place._

 _Dr. Erskine wouldn't have approved of anyone. So Sakura had lied and had said the formula had been lost with Erskine's death. Any hopes of recreating the program was in the blood samples she took. Even if she were somehow able to reproduce the serum, she couldn't let it simply fall into the military's hands._

 _Wiping the tears away with her fingers, Sakura pushed herself away from the door and made her way to the sink to wash her face and dab her eyes with cold water to prevent them from swelling._

* * *

 **I'm going under and this time I fear there's no one to save me**  
 **This all or nothing really got a way of driving me crazy**  
 **I need somebody to heal**  
 **Somebody to know**  
 **Somebody to have**  
 **Somebody to hold**  
 **It's easy to say**  
 **But it's never the same**  
 **I guess I kinda liked the way you numbed all the pain**

* * *

Sakura looked at the file Dr. Erskine handed her, eyes scanning the long list of health issues the patient had.

 _Asthma_

 _Scarlet fever_

 _Rheumatic fever_

 _High blood pressure?_

 _Easy fatiguability?_

 _Heart trouble?_

She looked back at Dr. Erskine with concern as she checked the soldier's name again.

"You really want to put your life's work and the entire project on the line for Steve Rogers?"

Erskine smiled at her, full of confidence and a bit of pride that Sakura couldn't fathom. Apparently Rogers had made an extremely good first impression in New York.

"You'll understand when you meet him."

Dubiously, she returned the file to him and gathered her things to meet the new recruits and prepare them for their debriefing while Erskine exited the tent to meet with Colonel Philips first.

With a deep breath, Sakura asked one of the men standing guard to grab the crate of clipboards and led the way. The men around here didn't particularly like taking orders from a woman but being Dr. Erskine's assistant had gotten her the rank of lieutenant and an official position in the Strategic Scientific Research division.

The row of newly brought in soldiers stuck out like a sore thumb, disorganized, slouching, and there were more than a few talking about their girlfriends. Sakura liked to think half of them had their helmets on backwards. They all barely just arrived to begin training and all they could think about was the skirts they chased back home.

So innocent of them.

Statistically more than a quarter of them wouldn't even make it back. She shook those thoughts from her mind. The project would work. They'd all make it. She was going to make sure of it.

If she were to bet her job on it, she guessed Rogers was the short one, dwarfed by the two soldiers on either side by at least half a foot. The difference in stature was heightened by the uniform which seemed to barely fit his tiny frame.

"Recruits, attention!"

The reaction was immediate even when she approached them from behind.

So they weren't completely useless.

"I am First Lieutenant Haruno, Dr. Erskine's assistant, and your nurse for this Project."

As she walked in front of the soldiers in her nurse's uniform, she expected them not to take her seriously.

"Any questions you have regarding Project Rebirth, your training, or concerns regarding your placement in this program come to me. Thompson is handing out your consent and waiver forms. Read them thoroughly, sign them and return them to the medical tent by 0600 tomorrow," Sakura instructed.

"Haruno. Is that a Jap name?" Ignoring the butchering of her name and the derogatory term he used, Sakura walked the few steps towards the soldier who spoke up and stopped in front of him. "I didn't know pink hair was standard issue in the U.S. Army." He added once he saw her distinctive hair color.

"What's your name, soldier?"

"Gilmore Hodge," he answered with a smirk.

"Step forward Hodge."

He did as instructed.

"Put your right arm out in front of you," with an confused look, he followed her orders.

"Are you going to give me a physical, nurse Haruno? I have an ache you can help me with," he winked suggestively.

Sakura barely refrained from rolling her eyes. Grabbing his arm and spinning around, Sakura threw him over her shoulder and into the dirt in front of the other soldiers.

He had at least a hundred pounds on her. The sound of his surprised gasp and the air abruptly leaving his lungs as his back met the ground with a thud proved her point well.

She wasn't someone they could push around or mess with.

Straightening up, Sakura pulled her jacket down, tidying up her appearance before addressing the line once again while Hodge fought to get air in his lungs.

"I will be addressed as Lieutenant, or Lieutenant Haruno. If my Japanese ancestry, or my hair offends anyone, they can be discharged from this program."

There were a few gulps.

Standing straighter, the men lifted their heads and yelled, "yes ma'am."

"Lieutenant Haruno."

Spinning around immediately, Sakura went into a salute.

"Colonel Philips."

"I can see that you are breaking in the candidates. That's good!"

Dr. Erskine exited the vehicle behind the Colonel and shot her a disapproving look that Sakura chose to ignore.

"Get your ass up out of that dirt and stand in that line at attention till somebody comes tells you what to do." Philips ordered Hodge.

There was a telltale wheeze in the man's breathing which told Sakura he was still struggling to get his lungs to work correctly but Hodge jumped to his feet and stood back in line.

"Yes, sir!"

* * *

Sakura had met with the recruits one at a time to record a baseline of their physique and physical abilities. As expected, Steve came in dead last in every metric. Still, he had been the one Dr. Erskine chose and Sakura couldn't say she disapproved. These past few weeks, Steve showed a tremendous amount of discipline and dedication.

There wasn't much room in the small medical tent she called her office but it gave them a level of privacy difficult to find on an army base during war time.

"No food or liquids from now until the operation tomorrow. Do you have any questions?"

"Hundreds." His nervous smile caused the corners of her lips to quirk upwards as well.

"Any you feel I should know?" Sakura asked as she handed him his shirt back and made the last notes on his file for tomorrow.

"No ma'am."

She placed her clipboard down on the table and watched as he slipped his shirt over his head. In the silence, Sakura couldn't help but question his reason for being there.

"Could I ask you a personal question?"

He seemed to sense that the question wasn't just for the program and was a bit taken aback but nodded nonetheless.

"You're a good looking young man. With all these men going to war, you could have a normal life, a normal job. Why are you trying so hard to be a soldier?"

"I got no right to be doing anything less than these men willing to lay down their lives."

The answer surprised her enough that Sakura was a bit charmed. She'd seen first hand just how much he took that to heart.

With a small chuckle Sakura finally allowed herself to smile.

"That's how I felt too." He answered her honestly and she felt she knew him well enough to tell him. "I was there, on Pearl Harbor two years ago. I...I always wanted to be a doctor. So I understand what that's like. Having every door shut in your face." She didn't have to explain how the only position for a woman was to be a nurse and that being on an army base was the closest a nurse could get to real surgery.

His frown worried her for a moment and the sudden hurt was unexpected. The hurt gave way to irritation in a second. She didn't allow herself to be vulnerable often in this male dominated place. She thought he was different from all the chauvin-

"I guess I don't know why you'd want to join the army if you were a beautiful dame. A-a beautiful woman. A doctor, not a dame. You are beautiful. But -" His flustered rambling took away her anger and fear instantly.

He wasn't judging her. He wasn't looking down at her.

"You have no idea how to talk to a woman, do you?" Sakura asked, cutting him off before he strained himself.

"I think this is the longest conversation I've had with one." He laughed at himself, looking down at his hands.

"Women aren't exactly lining up to dance with a guy they might step on."

"You must have danced."

"Well, asking a woman to dance always seemed so terrifying. And the past few years, it just didn't seem to matter that much. I figured I'd wait."

"For what?"

"The right partner."

Her smile widened.

Yes, Dr. Erskine found the perfect candidate.

"Well, you should get some rest. Big day tomorrow." She said as she dismissed him. She started busying herself with cleaning up all her tools. Steve got up from the small folding chair and Sakura heard his boots crunch down on the hard gravel as he made his way to the tent flaps.

"Lieutenant?"

She looked up in question.

"Why me?"

"Dr. Erskine can answer that question best. Just know that I agree with his decision to choose you. Have a good evening, Steve."

It had been the first time she'd called a soldier by their first name. But after their conversation, she figured he deserved a bit of reassurance.

* * *

 **Now the day bleeds**  
 **Into nightfall**  
 **And you're not here**  
 **To get me through it all**  
 **I let my guard down**  
 **And then you pulled the rug**  
 **I was getting kinda used to being someone you loved**

* * *

When Steve stumbled out of the vita ray infusion machine Sakura rushed over to help him get his bearings. Held up by Dr. Erskine and Howard Stark on either side, Steve was breathing heavily as he slowly supported his own weight.

"How do you feel?" Sakura asked as she handed him a shirt. The act gave her deja vu.

"Taller."

"You look taller." Sakura remarked.

Officials were shaking hands and morale was high when an explosion went off in the second floor observation room. Glass rained down on them as everyone instinctively crouched down. Steve had immediately grabbed her arm and shielded her from the shards with his own body. But it was unnecessary.

Pushing past him, Sakura attempted to get to the serum but it was already gone.

"Stop him!" Her eyes went to Dr. Erskine and saw the thief raise his arm to shoot.

Sakura leapt to push him down just as the shots were fired. Pain erupted on her arm as one of the shots grazed her but she managed to get Erskine to the ground. She got up to a kneeling position to check on him but she'd been too late.

Steve was right there with her as Sakura placed her hands over the wounds on Erskine's chest, hoping to stem the blood loss until they could get him to a hospital.

The doctor raised his hand, unable to speak and pointed to Steve's heart in silent communication.

"Dr. Erskine, don't close your eyes. Abraham! Come on, stay with me." Sakura pleaded as she brought a bloody hand to his throat to check for a pulse.

He was gone.

Steve turned to her, bringing a concerned hand to the blood seeping through her beige uniform from her own wound.

"I'm fine. Get the serum." Sakura ordered instead as she hid her trembling fingers by clenching them tightly. The wound on her arm throbbed but Sakura ignored it.

Sakura watched him go before ordering someone to get her a roll of bandages for her arm.

That night Sakura found herself in Erskine's barrack, looking for anything the doctor may have left behind for another serum at Colonel Phillips' behest. She had argued that the doctor wouldn't have anything written down. But after the success of today and Hydra closing in with spies in the government, they had to move quickly.

She had been looking in Erskine's desk drawer when she noticed a picture of them the first day the project had been green lit. They were having a toast, smiles wide and eyes full of excitement. It wasn't framed but Sakura knew he had treasured it based on its location at his work station.

It felt so long ago. Sakura carefully flipped it over, nostalgia filling her heart with bitter sweet sorrow.

On the back was the date along with a notation.

'Dr. Erskine and Nurse Haruno'

Nurse had been scratched out cleanly with one line of ink. Above it was the word 'Doctor' in Erskine's handwriting.

The knock on the door drew her from her thoughts and Sakura wiped the tears that had slipped through before answering the door.

"Steve."

"I saw the light was on," her shock at seeing him prompted him to explain. Sakura cleared her throat and sniffled before opening the door for him to enter.

"Yes. Um, I've been looking for any of Dr. Erskine's notes."

She gestured for him to take a seat on the bed as she took the only chair in the room.

"I'm sorry."

Sakura smiled, the sadness in her eyes apparent even though she knew they had to be glassy and a bit red.

"Thank you. He-he was like a father to me. He was the only one who believed in me."

She knew Steve felt the same way.

"Any hope of reproducing the program would be locked in your genetic code, they're going to want your blood samples," she informed.

Sakura cleared her throat. "But even with my help, it would take years to replicate. Maybe even decades. Assuming I'd even want to help them."

"Why wouldn't you?"

Sakura brushed her hair behind her ear.

"I trust his judgement," she admitted, "I wouldn't want to tarnish his life's work by making the wrong choices."

Steve sighed, looking around the sparsely furnished space. "He deserved more than this."

Getting up from her seat, she looked in one of the cabinets for Dr. Erskine's secret stash and returned with two cups and a bottle.

"He told me the two of you planned to drink this today." She said as she handed him both glasses so she could uncork the schnapps.

Filling the cups equally with what was left, she placed the empty bottle on the desk and took one of the cups.

"If the serum could work only once, he'd be proud it was you. He bet everything he had on you." Their glasses clinked as they made the toast in his name.

"To Erskine," Steve said before taking a healthy gulp.

Sakura took her seat again before taking a sip, opting to nurse her drink.

"What happens to the division now?" Steve asked, looking at his glass. He was resting his arms on his knees. His sudden height and change in build was taking her a while to get used to. She was as surprised as everyone else at just how successful the serum had been.

Sakura bit her lip, considering the possible outcomes.

"That's up to the Colonel. But without Dr. Erskine, the project will most likely be scrapped."

Sakura felt her heart ache when she saw how his frown deepened.

"I can't just sit around in a lab so I'll most likely ask to be re-assigned to a different unit."

His eyes caught hers in surprise and there seemed to be something on his mind but Steve composed himself and nodded.

"How is your wound?" She asked, taking another sip before resting it on the arm of the chair. Sakura walked over and motioned for him to lift his shirt.

"I should be asking you that," Steve joked as he sat up straighter and revealed unmarked skin. A bullet had grazed him between ribs seven and eight when he ran after the spy.

Sakura brushed her fingers over where she had treated him. He'd taken off the gauze. If anyone else had done so, Sakura would have reprimanded them but there wasn't even any indication he'd been hurt.

The gooseflesh that broke out over his skin didn't go unnoticed and Sakura realized their intimate proximity. Before she could retreat to her seat, his hand came up to her covered arm and the slight bulge the bandages left under her uniform. He didn't quite touch her, his hand simply hovering over her, as if afraid to hurt her.

"Unfortunately, I don't have super soldier healing so it'll leave a scar. But I'll live." Her voice trailed off, becoming softer and Sakura would have liked to blame it on the schnapps.

When his clear blue eyes shifted from her arm to meet her eyes, her breath caught in her throat.

He either heard or noticed her stop breathing because his eyes fell to her slightly parted lips.

 **Dangerous**

Heat rising to her cheeks, her green eyes fell to his lips, wondering what it would be like.

Sakura turned away from Steve before she acted on impulse. She couldn't just jump him as soon as he gained a bit of muscle. Even if she had found him attractive before the serum, what sort of message would it send. Plus, he was practically her patient.

"I-I have to get back to work." Her back to him, Sakura lifted the cup from the chair and set it down more securely on the desk, just to have something to do with her hands.

"Of course, I'm sorry to have bothered you." He finished his drink and set it down next to the empty bottle. Sakura nodded, refusing to meet his eyes or raise her face lest he see how much she was blushing.

"Have a good evening, soldier," returning to Erskine's drawers, Sakura made it a point to give him her back as he exited the barracks.

It was the grief, she rationalized. She wasn't being herself.

* * *

 **I'm going under and this time I fear there's no one to turn to**  
 **This all or nothing way of loving got me sleeping without you**  
 **Now, I need somebody to know**  
 **Somebody to heal**  
 **Somebody to have**  
 **Just to know how it feels**  
 **It's easy to say but it's never the same**  
 **I guess I kinda liked the way you helped me escape**

* * *

They had a brief farewell when Sakura was re-assigned closer to the war effort.

She'd kept tabs on "Captain America" and his ridiculous tour across the country with disdain. Eventually, it had gotten to be too much for her. Not because she believed he was capable of doing more. She had known that from the beginning.

It had been because she was jealous. He probably had dance partners lining up for him now. All across America, women threw themselves at him and Sakura couldn't bear to see it. She had enough on her plate as it was.

The number of wounded and dead were piling up and Sakura barely had the strength to keep her medics and nurses on track. When it was announced the chorus girls and Captain America were going to put on a show for the remaining men, Sakura knew what that meant.

It was a ploy to boost morale. With her hands full in the medical tent, Sakura hadn't been able to see the show but she heard the rumors of how badly it had gone.

When the girls came over to visit the wounded soldiers unable to leave the tents, Sakura took the brief respite to find him.

Washing her hands in a basin by the front and wiping her hands on a towel to get most of the blood off, Sakura found him under the red, white and blue canopy. His back was toward her and he was in a normal army uniform but she recognized him immediately.

Slugging through the mud and heavy rain, Sakura came up behind him and saw he was sketching something.

"Hello Steve."

She must have looked like a mess but he still smiled when he saw her.

"Hi. I didn't know this was where you were stationed."

"How are you doing?" Sakura asked as she took a seat next to him on a nearby crate. "I understand you're 'America's new hope.'"

He laughed derisively.

"Well, bond sales take a 10% bump in every state I visit."

"And that's what you want to be doing with your time?"

"At least I'm doing something. Philips would have had me stuck in a lab."

"My mother used to tell me that when the doors are locked, you find a window to get in. Wasn't that what we did?" Sakura asked, referring to their earlier conversation.

She smirked, "with your strength, you could just break the door down."

Steve genuinely chuckled for the first time, closing the notebook.

"Could I see that?" She asked, in curiosity.

Sakura had never been good at drawing and from the small peek she had gotten, she knew he was quire good.

"I just-I doodle when I'm bored or on the move," he explained as he handed it to her.

She flipped through the pages slowly. Some were of monuments and architecture, others of small flights of fantasy or cartoons like Dumbo.

When she got to the page he had been working on, she smiled at the monkey on a unicycle. Sakura had been about to close it when she noticed a page towards the back of the booklet was different than the others, like it had been opened to the page multiple times.

She skipped ahead and froze. Steve had moved to take it from her but she'd already seen her likeness. While the other sketches had been small doodles in comparison, this one had taken up a whole page.

"I-uh. It's just something I worked on when you told me you wanted to be a doctor," he explained quickly.

It was her from the waist up in a white coat, no nurse's hat, with a delicate smile. Even on just pencil and paper, Steve had managed to capture her essence. Sakura looked up to meet his panicked eyes and couldn't help but smile.

Her eyes soft, whatever Steve had been about to say died on his lips as he turned to her.

"Sakura, I-"

The sound of her medics yelling drew her attention and they both watched as a car pulled up with a new patient in tow.

"They look like they've been through Hell."

Sakura nodded, as she closed the notebook.

"Your audience contained what was left of the 107th."

He perked up immediately and asked for confirmation.

"The 107th?"

"Yes, Schmidt sent out a force to Azzano. 200 men went up against him, less than 50 returned. The rest were killed or captured." His look of horror was one Sakura was well aware of in her line.

"Do you know someone in the 107th?"

"Sergeant James Barnes. Do you know him? Do you know if he came back?"

Her saddened eyes were answer enough. She was familiar with the name and knew he hadn't come back.

"I'm sorry, Steve. I haven't treated anyone by that name." Steve jumped to his feet so quickly, it alarmed her.

"I need to see Colonel Philips." She'd been about to go with him when a medic rushed through the rain for her. Indecision weighed on her for a moment.

With a terse smile, Sakura handed the notebook back to him and placed a hand on his forearm. Giving him a soft squeeze, Sakura turned and followed the other medic while Steve headed out in the opposite direction.

* * *

 **Now the day bleeds**  
 **Into nightfall**  
 **And you're not here**  
 **To get me through it all**  
 **I let my guard down**  
 **And then you pulled the rug**  
 **I was getting kinda used to being someone you loved**

* * *

With her fingers on the other side of his face to keep him steady, Sakura dabbed at the cut on his cheek with care although the sting of the antiseptic didn't seem to bother him in the slightest.

He was seated on a small folding chair in her personal tent, allowing her to get access to his wound without tip toeing. Even so, his much taller height still brought him a few inches taller than her. Her eyes were focused on her task even though all she wanted to do was to run her fingers through his short blond hair.

It wasn't the first time she tended to his wounds and a part of her felt like a weakling for fussing over him when the serum would heal everything in a few hours. But it was one of the few times she had him to herself.

Selfishly, she wanted to feel needed by him. And she wanted to make sure he was alright, that there weren't any unforeseen side effects or injuries. Thanks to his actions and the actions of the team he brought together, they had Hydra on the ropes. For the first time since the war began, hope bloomed in her chest that it would be over soon.

Dirt and dried sweat dotted his cheeks and uniform which also sported a few blood stains but there were no other injuries for her to take care of except for a few bruises. She dropped the cotton ball into a waste basket and smiled at him.

His eyes followed her movements, the heat behind them unmistakable. It brought a flush to her cheeks.

"All done." She said professionally as she handed him his helmet.

When he didn't immediately take the mask, she looked at him in confusion.

Was he still injured somewhere? Had she missed something? Maybe a concussion. Internal bleeding?

"Sakura," His voice was soft. So tender with yearning that she held her breath for a moment. One hand gently pulled her closer by her wrist while the other took his helmet and tossed it aside.

She looked to where it landed and felt his hand trail down to her fingers, lacing his with hers. Sakura wondered if he felt her erratic pulse.

"Don't look at me like that." She said, heat rising to her cheeks as she was captivated by his gaze.

There was a split second of adorable confusion on his features.

"You started it," Steve teased a bit childishly as he slowly brought his other hand up to her nape.

Sakura's blush deepened at the reminder that before he left for this last mission, she had kissed him on the cheek for good luck.

"I'm going to kiss you, now," he said in warning, as if he were calming a skittish animal even though he had already trapped her. The confidence of the statement also threw her but she also figured that was from his status as Captain and from finally being comfortable in his new body.

He didn't need to announce it. She closed the distance herself, spearing her fingers in his short hair to pull him towards her.

Sakura felt the smile against her lips before he returned the kiss, making it more urgent. He released her hand and slid it to the small of her back, bringing her even closer until her chest pressed against the hard padding of his uniform. If it weren't for her skirt, she would have been straddling him. Any thought of propriety or modesty thrown away.

The kiss turned into another and then another, until Sakura breathlessly broke away to get some much needed air. He pressed his forehead to hers and smiled, eyes still half lidded as he watched her attempt to form a sentence. A small part of her was thrilled he was breathing a bit more heavily as well. His warm breaths fanned over her heated skin and Sakura wetted her lips.

"That was..." Sakura tried to find a fitting descriptor and failed.

"long over due."

She kissed him again, wanting to make up for lost time. When they parted, Sakura took a step back, realizing that anyone could open her tent and find them. The hand on her back prevented her from going far.

Sakura brought both hands up to his face to wipe away some of the grime and wasn't surprised to see the cut she had been tending to earlier had healed. Steve leaned into her touch, closing his eyes. When she brushed his cheeks with her thumb, the hold on her waist tightened and an answering heat bloomed in her belly.

"When this is all over, I'd like to take you dancing." His words were soft, holding so much more meaning for them.

"I'd like that."

At her acceptance, Steve kissed her again, this time slipping his tongue tentatively past her lips. Her short gasp of surprise only aided him in his exploration of her mouth. Sakura relaxed in his arms, content to have these stolen moments in between the harsh realities of the war.

* * *

 **And I tend to close my eyes when it hurts sometimes**  
 **I fall into your arms**  
 **I'll be safe in your sound till I come back around**

* * *

"Come in. This is Captain Rogers. Do you read me?" Relief flooded her and Sakura rushed to the mic to answer.

"Steve? Are you alright? What is your location?"

"Sakura, Schmidt's dead."

"Are you alright?" She asked again.

There was no answer and dread filled her heart.

Maybe the connection was lost, she told herself. But there had been no static. He was still on the line.

"G-give us your location. I'll find you a safe landing site a-and we'll come get you," she pleaded.

"Sakura. I'm sorry."

"What?"

"There's not gonna be a safe landing. But I can try and force it down."

"No! I'll get Howard on the line. He'll know what to do." She was ready to call for Colonel Philips but Steve interjected.

"There's not enough time. This thing's moving too fast and it's heading for New York." Sakura bit her lip, wanting so much to take his place.

Would the serum be enough to save him from a plane crash?

"I got to put her in the water. Right now I'm in the middle of nowhere. If I wait any longer, a lot of people are going to die."

She knew that. Her heart thundering in her chest, Sakura brought a trembling hand to the mic.

"Sakura...this is my choice."

She closed her eyes in resignation. If there was a god she believed in, Sakura would have prayed.

"I-I know. Steve? Talk to me," she asked, wanting to take his mind off things.

"I'm gonna need a rain check on that dance."

"A week, next Saturday. Stork Club, I-I love...the band there." She finished lamely as pain in her chest seemed to radiate outwards to her extremities.

There was a pause and Sakura feared he was already gone.

"You got it."

"8 o'clock. Don't you dare be late," she warned with no heat to the words.

"You know, I still don't know how to dance," he admitted, voice sounding strained.

"I'll teach you," Sakura reassured. Even to her own ears, it sounded pathetic. She blinked, willing the tears back, trying to be strong in these last moments.

"We'll have the band play something slow. I'd hate to step on y-"

"Steve?" Sakura's voice was tinged with desperation.

"Steve? Please. Steve?"

Met with only static, Sakura covered her mouth to muffle her sobs as her tears fell.

* * *

 **For now the day bleeds**  
 **Into nightfall**  
 **And you're not here**  
 **To get me through it all**  
 **I let my guard down**  
 **And then you pulled the rug**  
 **I was getting kinda used to being someone you loved**

* * *

As promised, Sakura walked into the Stork Club five minutes before 8. The place was lively, couples were dancing and people were milling around at the bar and the tables surrounding the dance floor.

Sakura silently made her way to an empty table and scanned the crowd for him even though she knew he wouldn't be there.

Taking a seat facing the door, Sakura flagged over a waitress for a drink and checked her watch.

He wouldn't be coming but Sakura needed to be there.

She needed to make sure.

Because this last sliver of hope was the only thing that kept her going.

* * *

Standing in front of the mirror, Sakura tried to put on a brave face. White coat, new stethoscope, her hair in a conservative braid to keep it out of the way, Sakura only needed her badge and she would be ready.

Her office was tiny and her practice was even smaller but she was a doctor. Her dream had been fulfilled.

Grabbing the silver chain hanging from the coat rack, Sakura draped it over her neck and turned the badge so her face would show. Taking one last look at herself in the mirror, Sakura turned to the framed picture of Steve on her bookstand next to the one with her and Dr. Erskine.

There was a knock on the door as Agent Murray poked his head in.

"Doctor Haruno, they're ready for you," he said.

Sakura nodded and turned off the lights before following him to the conference room.

* * *

 **But now the day bleeds**  
 **Into nightfall**  
 **And you're not here**  
 **To get me through it all**  
 **I let my guard down**  
 **And then you pulled the rug**  
 **I was getting kinda used to being someone you loved**

* * *

He woke on a hard cot, the stiffness of the sheets and the mat was something he'd experienced a thousand times. Steve was next aware of the sounds of the radio close to him. The announcer was describing a Dodgers game.

Still not unusual but the rest of the space was quiet so he didn't pay much attention to the announcer. If he had been in a barrack or at a hospital, Steve figured he'd be hearing a lot more bustling and ruckus.

Getting up slowly, he checked for injuries and found himself wearing a white SSR shirt and beige slacks.

Nothing hurt.

Everything worked fine.

The last thing he remembered was being on the plane.

 _Sakura._

Their dance! He had to find her, let her know he was okay. Finally tell her he loved her. God, he had so much to apologize for. She'd probably kill him for worrying her and for doing something so insanely stupid. Even if he had saved all of New York with his sacrifice, he could see Sakura beating him into the dirt. He only hoped he wasn't late to their date.

But his urgent need to talk to Sakura was overridden by the uneasiness he felt in the back of his mind, telling him that something was amiss. The announcer's voice sounded too familiar, not just the tone or cadence but the words. Like he was experiencing deja vu.

Just as he was about to get up and investigate, the door opened. It hadn't been locked and the window to his room was open. At least he wasn't in a cell.

"Good morning." The woman who walked in was in professional wear. As she checked her watch, he noted things about her that just didn't add up. Her hair was too long not to be tied back in some way and her curls were too tight. Her skirt, though the appropriate length was just too form fitting to be acceptable in the army.

"Or should I say, afternoon." As Steve took in her appearance in greater detail, he also noticed her tie was too wide and she had failed to tuck it into her shirt.

"Where am I?" He asked.

The sense of dread increased a thousand fold at her answer.

"You're in a recovery room in New York City."

Sakura would have had a fit at the state of this woman's dress. The number of contaminates that this woman was carrying around with a loose tie? Sakura would have personally cut the thing off. If she wasn't a nurse, she wouldn't have been the first one to see him.

In fact, she hadn't been surprised to see him awake when she'd entered...Finally the announcer said something that clicked in his mind.

"Where am I really?"

"I'm afraid I don't understand."

"The game. It's from May 1941, I know because I was there."

Her eyes widened in surprise putting an end to the farce.

Steve stood up. "Now, I'm going to ask you again. Where am I."

He approached her in the hopes of intimidating her. His voice held no room for argument or lies.

"Captain Rogers-" She began, in a placating tone. But he'd had enough.

"Who are you?!" He demanded, raising his voice.

Steve's instinct told him to run, to get to a familiar place and figure out what was going on.

"All agents, code 13!" He heard the voice from the PA system as he barreled past people in black suits and ran out of the exit and onto the street. If he really was in New York, he just needed to get to Brooklyn.

Once on the street, he realized everything looked different, foreign. Even the cars looked wrong.

Just where was he? Still fearing he was being pursued, Steve continued to sprint barefoot through these unfamiliar streets.

Eventually he came to a large clearing as signs moved and lights flickered and changed everywhere.

Overwhelmed and surrounded by people in unfamiliar clothing and cars, Steve staggered to a stop.

Men in suits created a parameter as a man stepped out of a black vehicle and approached him.

"At ease soldier."

"Look, I'm sorry about that little show back there, but we thought it best to break it to you slowly." Steve frowned, unsure if they were enemies or allies. They hadn't tried to shoot him which was a good sign.

"Break what?" He asked, confusion and anger making his words more clipped and stern.

"You've been asleep, Cap."

Steve waited for the other shoe to drop.

"For almost 70 years."

Steve looked around at the flashing lights, disbelieving that those words could be true but faced with things that shouldn't be possible. He turned back to where he had come from, the truth of this man's words finally sinking in.

"You gonna be okay?"

The question sounded like it was coming from miles away as Steve's thoughts and a myriad of emotions overwhelmed him.

But they all went back to one person.

"Yeah. Yeah, I just...I had a date."

* * *

 **I let my guard down**  
 **And then you pulled the rug**  
 **I was getting kinda used to being someone you loved**


End file.
